Cafu says Neymar’s Brazil recall could boost World Cup chances, and fan token markets are already reacting

Neymar is back in a Brazil shirt. And if you’re holding fan tokens linked to his career, you probably already noticed.

The 2026 World Cup squad announcement by head coach Carlo Ancelotti on May 18-19 included one name that carried more weight than the other 25 combined. Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, earned his first national team call-up since late 2023, when a serious knee injury pulled him off the pitch and, for a while, out of the conversation entirely.

Cafu, the last captain to lift a World Cup trophy for Brazil, made it clear he thinks the recall matters.

“Neymar can be important for any team. Seeing Neymar playing well, physically and technically, that can help the Brazil team a lot.”

What changed on the pitch

Neymar returned to Santos FC in early 2025, and the comeback trail eventually led back to the national team. Ancelotti, who took over as Brazil’s head coach, decided that a fit Neymar still belongs in the squad. He’ll line up alongside Vinicius Junior and Raphinha as part of Brazil’s attacking core.

Brazil opens Group C play against Morocco on June 13, 2026. The team is chasing a record sixth World Cup title, and the tournament is being held across North America. Brazil’s last World Cup win came in 2002, the same tournament where Cafu captained the side.

Fan tokens and the Neymar effect

When Neymar returned to Santos FC in early 2025, the Santos fan token (SANTOS) jumped approximately 10.6%. Fan tokens are digital assets that give holders access to club-related perks like voting on minor decisions and exclusive content.

Neymar has also been active in the NFT space, with high-profile purchases and collections that put him among the most visible athlete participants in Web3. There’s also the NEYMARJR fan token to consider, and any asset tied directly to Neymar’s brand is likely to see increased trading volume as World Cup coverage intensifies.

Why this matters for crypto investors

The 2026 World Cup is being held in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The pattern from the SANTOS token earlier in 2025 offers a useful template: news about Neymar moved the price roughly 10.6% in short order.

Fan tokens are thin markets prone to sharp reversals. A poor performance, a re-injury, or even a tactical benching could erase gains just as quickly as they appeared. Fan tokens have also faced regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions, with questions about whether they constitute securities or gambling products.

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