Neymar appears poised to end a near three-year absence from international football when Brazil take on Scotland in their final 2026 World Cup Group C match at Miami Stadium on Wednesday.

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti effectively confirmed the 34-year-old's availability during Tuesday's pre-match press conference, stating the Seleção's all-time top scorer had trained fully and was ready to feature.

"He is available. He trained very well this week. He is fit and able and ready to play. We are very happy he is back. He is a high-quality player," Ancelotti said.

"He can play from halftime or the whole 90 minutes. He is very well. He worked very hard, so he is ready," the manager added.

A long road back

Neymar last pulled on a Brazil shirt in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on 17 October 2023. A series of injuries and setbacks has since kept him sidelined, leaving his record tally of 79 international goals and 128 caps untouched for nearly three years.

His most recent absence stemmed from a calf injury sustained in club football with boyhood club Santos FC, which ruled him out of Brazil's opening two Group C fixtures — a win over Morocco and a victory against Haiti.

What is at stake in Miami

Brazil currently lead Group C on four points, ahead of Morocco on goal difference. The five-time world champions will secure top spot with any result that is not a defeat — though Scotland can still finish first if they beat Brazil while Haiti draw or defeat Morocco.

Manager Steve Clarke's Scotland side have captured the imagination of the city, with the Tartan Army — the nickname for Scotland's famously devoted supporters — spreading across Miami in the build-up to the match. Fans have been spotted on South Beach, at a Miami Marlins baseball game, and marching through the Little Havana neighbourhood. Brazilian supporters have joined the festivities, adding to an already electric atmosphere as the 2026 World Cup group stage approaches its final days.

Should Neymar take the field against Scotland, it will mark a significant moment for the Seleção — and an even sterner test for Clarke's side than the one they may have anticipated.