The vast majority of younger players support Neymar’s call-up to the 2026 World Cup, but rejection increases among older players
The best Brazilian player of the last decade, Neymar divides the opinions of fans of the Brazilian National Team. According to a Datafolha survey released this Friday (27/6), 48% of the population supports calling up the Santos forward for the 2026 World Cup, while 41% are against the player’s presence in the World Cup.
Less than a year remains until the World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the presence of the star player is still unknown. Suffering from injuries and nearing the end of his career, the 33-year-old forward’s main goal is to win the sixth championship for the National Team.
After interviewing 2,004 people in 136 cities throughout the country, Datafolha pointed out that, even if Neymar is healthy, his call-up is far from being unanimous among Brazilians. The survey’s margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points, which could make the division between opinions even greater, with 46% in favor of the call and 43% against. 7% of those interviewed said they were indifferent, while 3% did not know how to answer.
Neymar called up for the World Cup?
The survey also points to a glaring difference in perceptions of the star according to the generations. Among the youngest, the vast majority support Neymar’s call-up, while the older generation rejects it more. Among young people aged 16 to 24, 62% are in favor of the call-up, while 27% are against, 8% are indifferent and 3% do not know. For those aged 35 to 44, the dispute is the most fierce, with a technical tie considering the margin of error of five percentage points, either way.
Of the Brazilians in this age group, 47% are in favor and 44% are against. Among those aged 45 to 59, rejection stands out, but there is still a technical tie. 48% reject Neymar’s call-up for the World Cup, while 41% support it.
