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Neymar is set to make history by becoming only the second Brazilian player after Pelé to wear the famous No. 10 jersey at four FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Neymar set to become 2nd Brazilan to wear No 10 jersey in four FIFA World Cups. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Neymar Jr. is Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer in international football, and he is set to represent the five-time champions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 34-year-old was included in Brazil’s 26-member squad by head coach Carlo Ancelotti last month and is expected to be one of the team’s key players in this year’s tournament despite not having played for the national team since 2023.
Neymar, who was arguably Brazil’s best player at the last three FIFA World Cups, will wear the prestigious No. 10 jersey at this year’s tournament, helping him equal a 56-year-old record held by Pele.
Pele, the only player in history to win three FIFA World Cup titles, played in four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970) while wearing Brazil’s No. 10 jersey. By wearing the same jersey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Neymar will match that tally.
The veteran of 128 appearances for Brazil also wore the No. 10 jersey at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
Players to wear No. 10 jersey for Brazil at FIFA World Cup
| PLAYER | EDITION |
| Drip | 1954 |
| First | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 |
| Rivellino | 1974, 1978 |
| Zico | 1982, 1986 |
| Paulo Silas | 1990 |
| Rai | 1994 |
| Rivaldo | 1998, 2002 |
| Ronaldinho | 2006 |
| Kaka | 2010 |
| Neymar Jr | 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026* |
Former AC Milan and Real Madrid star Kaka, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2007, wore Brazil’s No. 10 jersey at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while 2005 Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho wore it at the 2006 edition.
Rivaldo, the 1999 Ballon d’Or winner, wore Brazil’s No. 10 jersey at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups. Other notable players to wear the iconic shirt for Brazil at World Cups include Rai (1994), Paulo Silas (1990), Zico (1982 and 1986), Rivellino (1974 and 1978), and Pinga (1954).
Neymar will play his fourth FIFA World Cup for Brazil in 2026, joining an elite group of players comprising Cafu, Castilho, Djalma Santos, Leão, Nílton Santos, Pelé, Ronaldo and Thiago Silva, all of whom represented the South American nation at four World Cups.
Most FIFA World Cup tournament appearances for Brazil
| APPEARANCES | PLAYER | POSITION | WORLD CUPs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Cafu | Defender | 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 |
| 4 | Castilho | Goalkeeper | 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962 |
| 4 | Djalma Santos | Defender | 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966 |
| 4 | Lion | Goalkeeper | 1970, 1974, 1978, 1986 |
| 4 | Nílton Santos | Defender | 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962 |
| 4 | Skin | Forward | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 |
| 4 | Ronaldo | Forward | 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 |
| 4 | Thiago Silva | Defender | 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 |
| 4* | Neymar | Forward | 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026* |
Neymar scored four goals for Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup on home soil and added two goals each at the 2018 and 2022 editions, which were held in Russia and Qatar, respectively.
With a total of eight World Cup goals to his name, Neymar is Brazil’s joint-sixth-highest goalscorer in the tournament’s history.
Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1997 and 2002, tops the list of Brazil’s highest goalscorers in FIFA World Cup history with 15 goals. He is followed by Pelé, who scored 12 goals across four World Cup editions.
Most goals for Brazil in FIFA World Cup
| PLAYER | GOALS | WORLD CUP |
| Ronaldo | 15 | 1998 (4)2002 (8)2006 (3) |
| First | 12 | 1958 (6)1962 (1)1966 (1)1970 (4) |
| Ademir | 9 | 1950 (9) |
| Vava | 9 | 1958 (5)1962 (4) |
| Jairzinho | 9 | 1970 (7)1974 (2) |
| Leonidas | 8 | 1934 (1)1938 (7) |
| Rivaldo | 8 | 1998 (3)2002 (5) |
| Neymar | 8 | 2014 (4)2018 (2)2022 (2) |
| Bald | 7 | 1986 (5)1990 (2) |
Ademir, Vavá and Jairzinho, with nine goals each, are also ahead of Neymar on the list of Brazil’s leading goalscorers in FIFA World Cup history.
If Neymar scores at least one goal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he will become only the second Brazilian player after Pelé to score in four different editions of the tournament for the Seleção.
Brazil’s squad for FIFA World Cup 2026
- Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton
- Defenders: Alex Sandro, Bremer, Danilo, Douglas Santos, Gabriel Magalhees, Ibanez, Leo Pereira, Marquinhos, Wesley
- Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Danilo Santos, Fabinho, Lucas Paqueta
- Forwards: Endrick, Gabriel Martinelli, Igor Thiago, Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, Neymar Jr, Raphinha, Rayan, Vinicius Junior
About the Author
Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist with CNN-News18 since July 1, 2024, and covers cricket with a sharp eye for records, trends, and match analysis. Based in Noida, he has reported extensively on the…Read More
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