Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva makes a joke about footballer Neymar, saying the striker is “the first player in the world to be called up to the national side and be working remotely.” Multiple outlets report that Lula is speaking during an event connected to a hospital in Belo Horizonte in Brazil’s southeast, and that the comment is made while Neymar is recovering from an injury.
The reports describe Neymar as being temporarily unable to train with the squad full time and therefore effectively “working remotely” rather than physically attending all team activities. NDTV, The Punch, Vanguard, and Daily Post Nigeria all attribute the remark to Lula and present it as a lighthearted statement rather than an official policy or formal arrangement.
None of the sources provide additional details on the specific medical timeline or whether any remote training or match preparation arrangement is formalized beyond the president’s remark. The focus across all accounts remains on the president’s comparison and Neymar’s current recovery situation as it relates to national team involvement.
