Devastating Injury Blow Sinks Neymar’s 2026 World Cup Hopes

The Seleção’s all-time leading goalscorer is in for another lengthy layoff.

Neymar suffered his fourth injury of the calendar year. / Wagner Meier/Getty Images

With only seven months until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Neymar has suffered a meniscus injury in his left knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season for Santos.

The Brazil international just recently returned from a hamstring injury and made four consecutive appearances for the São Paulo club before complaining of discomfort in his knee following Santos’ 1–1 draw with Mirassol on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Neymar then sat out of Monday’s 1-1 draw at Internacional as a precaution, but what he and Santos hoped would be a minor injury is now a more serious issue plaguing the same knee that needed surgery to repair an ACL tear and a torn meniscus back in 2023.

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The latest injury is the forward’s fourth setback since joining Santos in January. Neymar made 25 appearances and scored seven goals in his second stint with his boyhood club, but he will not be able to help Juan Pablo Vojvoda’s side in its final three games of the season, per ESPN.

Santos currently sit 17th in Brazil’s Serie A with 38 points from 35 matches. Atop the relegation zone, the club is just one point away from safety, making their upcoming matches all the more important. Without Neymar, though, the Brazilian outfit will have to dig deep to stay in the top flight.

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Neymar Fails Carlo Ancelotti’s Test

Carlo Ancelotti has not called up Neymar since he took charge of Brazil. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

During the November international break, Brazil national team boss Carlo Ancelotti challenged Neymar to stay healthy and return to full match fitness if he wanted to represent the Seleção in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

“I thought Neymar was just a topic in Brazil, but I see it’s a global issue,” Ancelotti said ahead of his side’s 1–1 draw with Tunisia. “Fortunately, he recovered from his injury. Now he has six months to play.

“Neymar is on the list of players who could be at the World Cup. Now he has six months to make the final list. We just have to observe him and other players to avoid making mistakes in the final selection.”

Another injury is the last thing Neymar needed in his pursuit of earning a place in Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. Ancelotti has yet to call up the Seleção’s all-time leading goalscorer since he took over in May, and now, the Italian manager will only have more doubts of the forward’s fitness.

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