Neymar sobbed all night while Bruna Biancardi slept beside him after Brazil's emotional World Cup call-up

For Neymar, the call from Brazil meant far more than another tournament selection. It brought relief, exhaustion and a flood of emotion after months of uncertainty around his fitness and future. Speaking at an event in São Paulo after being named in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, the Santos forward admitted he spent the entire night awake, overwhelmed by the moment. His emotional return comes at a critical time for Brazil, especially with a fresh calf issue now raising doubts over his immediate availability ahead of the tournament warm-up matches.At a publicity event in Sao Paulo, Neymar described the night of May 18 in raw, unguarded terms."I went to sleep at 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning, watching all the videos. I couldn't stop crying all night. I was there with my wife and daughters, sleeping in the same bed. They were sleeping, and I was crying watching each video, because it wasn't easy," he said.That image-- a 34-year-old man, one of the most decorated footballers of his generation, quietly breaking down while his children slept beside him says more about what this moment meant than any statistic could. Injuries had kept Neymar away from the national team for nearly three years. The road back was not a straight line. It was painful, stop-start, and full of doubt from the outside.Ancelotti, who took charge of Brazil in 2025, acknowledged that Neymar's presence could benefit the team environment, noting his experience and the respect he commands within the group. That trust from the coach clearly registered with the forward."It was difficult, it was hard, but in the end it was worth it. It was worth it to feel this affection, this emotion, this feeling of being Brazilian and representing each one of you in a World Cup," Neymar said.Raphinha was among the first to reach out after the squad announcement, with a video call between the two friends capturing the raw emotion of the veteran attacker. "I thank all of Brazil for their support, their encouragement, and their reactions, which were wonderful. It will be a very special day, one that I will cherish for the rest of my life," Neymar added.That question now hangs over everything. Neymar picked up a calf edema during Santos' 3-0 defeat to Coritiba, and the swelling in his right leg has introduced genuine concern about his availability for Brazil's warm-up fixtures. There remains a risk that the injured area does not respond favorably to rest and physiotherapy, which could extend his recovery timeline and leave him severely lacking match fitness heading into the tournament.Brazil's pre-World Cup training camp begins on May 27 at Granja Comary. They face Panama in a farewell friendly at the Maracana on May 31, a match Neymar is targeting if his recovery holds. Brazil then face Egypt in Cleveland on June 6 before their tournament opener against Morocco in New Jersey on June 13.The timing is not ideal. But after everything Neymar has already come through to get here, a calf injury- however inconvenient is unlikely to dim what was, by his own account, one of the best nights of his life.