Neymar broke down in tears after taking the pitch for Brazil against Scotland on Wednesday night. The 34-year-old forward came off the bench in the second half as the Seleção cruised to a 3-0 victory.
Brazil topped Group C with seven points following the win. Neymar had sat out the team's opening two matches against Morocco and Haiti because of a calf injury.
Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, Neymar couldn't hide his emotions. "I cried alone afterwards because it feels so good to live all of this one more time," he told FIFA's website.
According to him, the moment ranked among the greatest of his career. "It's every boy's dream to play for Seleção, and I've been given this chance," Neymar noted.
He explained that missing the earlier matches had left him desperate to return. "I've been away for many days now, and I missed it and was eager to get back," he said.
Neymar also thanked those who stood by him during his recovery. "I thank every Brazilian fan who rooted for me, especially my family and my friends," the attacker added.
Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha scored Brazil's goals in the rout. Cunha had started the match before Neymar replaced him in the second half.
