Santos President: Neymar Is Vital to Brazil, His Role Lies in Leadership

Marcelo Teixeira, president of Brazilian club Santos, recently stated in an interview that Neymar is crucial to the Brazil national team’s journey at the 2026 World Cup, emphasizing that the star player is the core of the team’s respect and leadership.

When talking about the role Neymar should play under head coach Carlo Ancelotti, Marcelo Teixeira said bluntly: “It is clear that Neymar’s presence in the Brazilian national team at next year’s World Cup is essential. In terms of respect, status and leadership, the Brazil team can build around these aspects with Neymar, so his existence is crucial.”

Regarding Neymar’s contract renewal, Teixeira remained cautious. He had said a month ago that it was too early to discuss renewal, but in this interview, he once again emphasized the priority of seeing Neymar participate in the World Cup: "We are not dealing with contract renewal now, because the current focus is on the World Cup. Unless something different or unusual happens, the possibility of renewal still exists. We hope Neymar can perform better on the field. Even if he only plays at 50% of his ability, he is still far better than any other Brazilian player."