The Brazilian national team will once again face Colombia this Thursday without Neymar, who, due to a last-minute injury, will miss another match. The absence of the star is a burden for a Seleção that has won only 54.7% of its games without him on the field.

Neymar, who hasn’t played for the senior national team since October 2023, dropped out of the squad due to an untimely injury to the back of his left thigh. This new setback is related to the long period of inactivity he faced after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a match against Uruguay in Montevideo.

The Performance Without Neymar

The numbers are not encouraging for Brazil, as the Seleção has struggled in this double round of South American qualifiers, facing Colombia in Brasilia and Argentina in Buenos Aires. Since Neymar's debut on August 10, 2010, Brazil has played 64 matches without him, achieving only a 54.7% win rate and losing one in every five matches (20.3%). With Neymar on the field, the win percentage jumps to nearly 72%, while losses drop to 9.4%, according to data from the BeSoccer platform.

In the World Cup qualifiers, Brazil has lost just one match in 28 with Neymar, while without him, they have accumulated four losses, five draws, and ten wins in 19 matches.

Neymar Dependence and the Future of the Seleção

Despite years of criticism regarding Brazil's "Neymar-dependence," Neymar's serious injury in October 2023 and his long recovery have exposed a flat and less dynamic style of play. The Seleção has tried, without success, to cover for his absence, especially with the constant coaching changes since the Qatar World Cup.

Currently, Brazil is relying on the goal-scoring potential of its attacking trio, formed by Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo Goes, and Raphinha. The latter is experiencing the best form of his career as a winger for Barcelona. Even former footballer Thierry Henry has pointed him out as one of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or in 2025. Titles with Barcelona and his performances with the national team will be key for the legendary ex-Arsenal player’s prediction to come true.