Fuelled by past disappointments at the World Cup, Neymar has been preparing for a long time to make sure he is in peak condition to lead Brazil into the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Now aged 30, the world's most expensive player has often struggled to live up to expectations and been hampered by injuries since joining Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in 2017 for a record €222 million (S$311.4 million).
It was not so long ago that Neymar let slip that Qatar could be his last Finals, as he struggled with the demands of playing football at the highest level.
But his form and his attitude in the first three months of this season bode well going into Brazil's bid to win a record sixth World Cup crown.
After reporting for pre-season training a week earlier than expected, Neymar hit the ground running when the French campaign kicked off and he has scored 15 goals in 19 games so far for PSG, while also providing a hatful of assists for the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
"He is flying. It is the fruit of all the preparation he has put in," said national coach Tite.
This story is from the November 09, 2022 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the November 09, 2022 edition of The Straits Times.
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