After bowing out of the 2026 World Cup with the Brazil national team, Neymar enjoyed his vacation in the US by participating in a poker tournament in Las Vegas.
Neymar appeared at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) on July 11, less than a week after Brazil was eliminated by Norway in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The star on Santos’s payroll participated in the tournament in Las Vegas with a registration fee of $10,000.
Neymar’s appearance was announced by the WSOP organizers themselves on social media. “Welcome Neymar Junior to WSOP 2026. The Brazilian football superstar is participating in the $10,000 6-max tournament after his national team was eliminated from the World Cup about a week ago,” the tournament’s account wrote.
Poker has long been a familiar hobby of Neymar. The 34-year-old forward often features in events of this sport during his time off. After Brazil said goodbye to the World Cup, Neymar continued to stay in the US to enjoy his vacation before returning to his club.
According to the announcement from Santos, Neymar will rejoin the squad on July 17 at the Rei Pele training center. The current contract between him and the Brazilian team is valid until the end of 2026.
The 2026 World Cup could be the last time Neymar appears at the planet’s biggest football festival. An unassured physical condition caused the number 10 to only play a total of 37 minutes across two matches. He returned to the national team after a long period of struggling with injuries.
In the 1-2 defeat against Norway in the round of 16, Neymar drew attention with an argument with goalkeeper Orjan Nyland before executing a penalty kick. He scored from the 11m spot in the final minutes but could not help Brazil avoid defeat.
After the final whistle, Neymar left the pitch in tears and implied this was the final World Cup of his career. Just a few days after that sad moment in Miami, the Brazilian star was spotted at a poker table in Las Vegas.
