Concerns loom over the participation of Brazilian forward Neymar in the national team's opening match of the 2026 World Cup due to a calf injury that necessitates a recovery period of two to three weeks. This was confirmed today by Rodrigo Lasmar, the physician of the Brazilian national team, commonly referred to as the "Seleção." The 34-year-old Santos star will miss Brazil's friendly matches against Panama and Egypt and may also be sidelined for the opener against Morocco on June 13, 2026.
Lasmar elaborated that an MRI scan revealed a grade two muscle injury, and he anticipates that Neymar should be ready to return within two to three weeks. Following months of speculation, Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti summoned the all-time leading scorer for Brazil, who has netted 79 goals in 128 matches—two goals ahead of the legendary Pelé—for his fourth World Cup appearance, after more than two years away from the national team.
Neymar joined the Brazilian training camp last Wednesday in Teresópolis, near Rio de Janeiro, alongside his teammates, although he did not participate in the initial training session. The star, who has previously played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, had already missed his last two matches with Santos, but his coach, Kuka, mentioned that he is only dealing with a "minor injury." Since returning to Santos, the club where he began his career earlier in 2025, Neymar has faced multiple physical setbacks, despite his crucial role in helping the team avoid relegation at the end of the last season.
This year, Neymar has scored six goals and provided four assists in 15 matches, with his participation being carefully managed; he has not played more than four consecutive games since returning from another knee surgery in February. The timing of this injury is particularly sensitive. After facing Panama, Brazil will play its final friendly against Egypt in Cleveland before kicking off its World Cup journey against Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey, as part of Group C, which also includes Haiti and Scotland.
In an interview with Reuters in early May, Ancelotti asserted that Neymar's reputation alone would not guarantee him a spot in the lineup. The coach emphasized that Neymar would not receive any special treatment, and his place in the squad would be strictly based on his physical fitness and performance, rather than sentiment. In his last match for Brazil against Uruguay during the World Cup qualifiers in October 2023, Neymar suffered a severe knee injury.
As the Seleção aims to reclaim its global glory, the Brazilian national team begins its World Cup camp with a medical watch on Neymar's condition, with assurances from coach Ancelotti that physical readiness is the sole criterion for selection. Amid aspirations for a sixth star and the unpredictable challenges posed by Morocco and Scotland, Brazil faces a genuine test in Group C of the 2026 World Cup, navigating complex tactical challenges under coach Carlo Ancelotti. As legends prepare for their final dance and the goal machines gear up for their World Cup debut, fans eagerly await the intense generational clash in the 2026 edition, as Messi and Ronaldo prepare to pass the torch of glory to their new successors.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
