Forward Neymar and the Brazilian soccer team are headed to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, giving the former Barcelona star plenty to celebrate. But to add to his jubilation during the tournament in North America, he can now finally go out with Arrow star Stephen Amell, the man whose DMs he slid into eight years ago. Credit for that goes to James Corden, who took matters into his own hands on Sunday.

On the FIFA World Cup on the Fox After Hours program, Corden revealed that Neymar was following Amell on Instagram, and that there was an unread message on his DMs, which read “big fan”. Now, it’s unclear why Amell didn’t respond initially, but he was visibly embarrassed as he handed over his phone to Corden.

The 47-year-old opened the DMs and messaged Neymar on behalf of the Suits LA actor to set things right. He even decided to poke fun at former Manchester United captain and England legend Rio Ferdinand, who was in the studio with them.

“Hey, bro, just saw this. Thrilled you’re a big fan. Are you in the States? Let’s hang, just me and you. I’m in the new Baywatch series on Fox. You will love it. I’m currently with Rio Ferdinand. He hates you,” the text to Neymar read, with Corden almost instantly following up with a “Just kidding. [Rio] Says you’re the king!!!”

Neymar almost instantly replied, saying that although it would be difficult for him to leave the team’s camp in Houston, he would love to catch up with Amell after Brazil’s tournament came to an end. Hopefully for Neymar, that will be on July 19, when the World Cup final takes place in New Jersey. And just like that, as Amell later admitted, he had a new friend in one of the most popular athletes in the world.

When asked after the broadcast by Entertainment Daily if there was a follow-up from Neymar’s end, Amell replied, “What, that we’re best friends now?”

“I actually shot him a DM being like, ‘Hey, by the way, that was James Corden, and I’m also a big admirer,” Amell, who was Oliver Queen in Arrow from 2012 to 2020, continued. “I wished him good luck against Japan today. And, you know, Brazil won 2-1. That just happened. So I don’t want to take total credit, but like, maybe a little bit.”

Neymar did not feature against Japan in what turned out to be a dramatic game for the Selecao in Houston. The Japanese took the lead thanks to Kaishu Sano’s brilliant strike from outside the box in the 29th minute, making things difficult for Brazil, who were shambolic going forward in the first half. But head coach Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to bring on Endrick for Lucas Paqueta and switch to a 4-2-4 formation in the second half turned the tide.

The Brazilian attack was relentless, and after mounting sustained pressure on the Blue Samurai, Casemiro equalized with a header in the 56th minute. Then, just when it looked as though the game was headed for extra time, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes found Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli unmarked in the box, allowing him to curl the ball into the bottom corner.

Neymar was warming up, but Ancelotti decided against bringing him on. Brazil will now face the winner of the Round of 16 clash between Norway and the Ivory Coast, which takes place on June 30. Neymar will hope to get some minutes in that match.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti explains Neymar’s lack of minutes

Neymar’s inclusion in the Brazil squad sparked widespread debate. On one hand, soccer romantics hoped for a “last dance” from the former UEFA Champions League winner. On the other hand, pragmatists argued that players like Chelsea’s Joao Pedro deserved a place in the squad because they were fully fit and could contribute more. Neymar, at 34 and injury-prone, was well past his prime.

But in the game against Scotland, which Brazil won 3-0, Neymar featured for 14 minutes and created three chances late in the match, making it surprising that he wasn’t brought on against Japan when his team was in desperate need of a goal. Ancelotti explained the decision after the game.

“We were waiting for Neymar in extra time. I spoke with him, and he would have come in in the 60th or 65th minute. We equalised the game, and I didn’t want to change the structure because the team had control of the game,” he said.

So, there is no fresh injury concern, and Brazil plans to unleash a refreshed Neymar in the next round. For now, his focus remains on helping Brazil chase a sixth World Cup title, even if it means cheering his compatriots from the sidelines. Once that journey is over, however, he may finally get the chance to meet Amell in person, eight years after first reaching out to the actor.