Neymar Jr made his long-awaited return to the Brazilian national team at the 2026 World Cup this week.
Neymar had not represented his country since a 2-0 World Cup qualifier defeat to Uruguay in October 2023.
The 34-year-old has suffered many injuries in the last few seasons, including a ruptured ACL that sidelined him for a year.
However, Neymar made his comeback as a late substitute in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Scotland in Miami on Wednesday.
He was so emotional that he cried after the full-time whistle and channelled Lewis Hamilton on social media.
Lewis Hamilton’s ‘remember who you are’ mantra resonates with Neymar Jr
Neymar has been friends with legendary Formula 1 driver Hamilton for many years, often attending the same events.
Even though Neymar is not fluent in English, the pair sat courtside at a Golden State Warriors game during the 2017 NBA Finals.
They have also been brought closer by Hamilton’s love of Brazil, having won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix three times.
Neymar has now copied Hamilton’s mantra in his latest Instagram post after making his international comeback.
While Hamilton was going through a difficult spell in his debut season at Ferrari, a fan told him to “remember who you are.”
The seven-time world champion admitted that the fan’s message actually gave him confidence to turnings things around.
Then, after winning his first race with Ferrari in Barcelona last week, Hamilton captioned his Instagram post with the same phrase.
Neymar has now posted “remember who you are” on his social media account after playing for Brazil against Scotland.
Hamilton replied: “Always.” Meanwhile, Brazil legend Thiago Silva and Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt also liked the post.
Neymar deserves credit for just making another World Cup appearance, but his next aim will be to score or assist.
His next opportunity will be in the Round of 32, where Brazil are likely to face Japan in Houston on Monday.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
