Neymar: The ‘crazy idea’ to supercharge World Cup 2026 dream

Neymar might have made a spectacular return to European football in the summer as one of the continent’s most storied clubs spent five months weighing up a ‘crazy’ move for the Barcelona legend.

Serie A champions Napoli came close to making a move for the veteran Brazil attacker, whose focus is currently on securing a place in his nation’s World Cup squad for 2026.

The 33-year-old Neymar is currently back at home in his native Brazil playing for Santos, but has struggled to find top gear amid a string of injury concerns and poor form from his team.

But the story could have been very different in the summer had Napoli come to a different conclusion as they studied the possibility of teaming the world’s most expensive player up with the likes of Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.

Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Neymar was long considered by Napoli as a signing target. From January until May, the Serie A giants examined the possibility of a deal.

“Napoli and Neymar were more than a fascination. They spent a long time trying to find a place for the Brazilian champion. But wisdom prevailed… avoiding the danger of tactical repercussions,” the Italian source reports.

Why did Napoli not sign Neymar?

Ultimately, Napoli decided against signing Neymar because there were fears that the Brazilian would upset the balance of their squad.

It appears that the final straw for the decision came when Kevin De Bruyne became available on a free transfer from Manchester City. Napoli were forced to pick between the two players and opted for the Belgium international.

De Bruyne has sparked into life at Napoli but has by no means won universal acclaim at his new club, despite delivering three goals and two assists for his new side.

Neymar, meanwhile, faces a battle to break into Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for the 2026 World Cup.

He has played just 21 times since rejoining the club in January, scoring six goals and creating three more.

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