Brazil's president cracked a joke about Neymar's World Cup involvement on Thursday. Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva made the comment during a hospital visit in Belo Horizonte.
The 80-year-old said Neymar is "the first player in the world to be called up and working remotely." He was responding to a young boy who asked about the star forward.
Neymar only rejoined training this week after recovering from a calf injury. The 34-year-old missed Brazil's opening match against Morocco, which ended 1-1.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has also left him out of the squad for Saturday's game against Haiti. Neymar remains Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals.
Lula's remarks suggest frustration with the winger's continued absence from the pitch. The president emphasized that Neymar hasn't even been playing in matches.
