Neymar Injury Blow Haunts Brazil’s 2026 World Cup Preparations

The talismanic forward has been given a recovery timeline by Brazil’s team doctor which paints a concerning picture for the national team.

The Neymar roadshow is well underway. | NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP/FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

Neymar Jr.’s dismissal of any injury concerns ahead of his World Cup participation has been undermined by official diagnosis of a calf issue which is expected to keep him sidelined for “two to three weeks.”

As recently as Tuesday, the veteran forward did his best to quash concerns over a muscular issue which has kept him sidelined for Santos’ past three fixtures. While watching his club side beat Deportivo Cuenca in the Copa Sudamericana on Tuesday night, Neymar was quizzed about his fitness problem. “What problem?” he snapped.

The problem in question was originally thought to be a swollen calf which Santos dismissed as “minor.” It proved major enough to see Neymar miss Brazil’s training session in Teresópolis in Rio de Janeiro.

Neymar was filmed climbing out of a helicopter at the Granja Comary soccer complex but didn’t make it onto the pitch on Wednesday. The Brazil soccer federation (CBF) doctor Rodrigo Lasmar revealed the extent of the forward’s injury on Thursday.

“He reported here at Granja Comary yesterday, underwent all the medical exams, which concluded with an MRI that revealed a Grade 2 calf injury, not just swelling,” Lasmar explained. “He is expected to be cleared to play in two to three weeks.”

This blow has arrived just 16 days ahead of Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium, casting considerable doubt over his involvement. There are also two pre-tournament friendlies against Panama and Egypt for the Seleção to navigate. However, even if Neymar was fully fit, his status as a starter remains very much up in the air.

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Brazil’s Upcoming Fixtures

Date	Opponent	Competition
Sunday, May 31	Panama	Friendly
Saturday, June 6	Egypt	Friendly
Saturday, June 13	Morocco	World Cup Group Stage
Friday, June 19	Haiti	World Cup Group Stage
Wednesday, June 24	Scotland	World Cup Group Stage

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‘He Understands’—Will Neymar Start for Brazil at 2026 World Cup?

Neymar is heading to his fourth World Cup. | Martin Fonseca/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Carlo Ancelotti’s roster announcement was dominated by speculation surrounding Neymar’s inclusion. The Italian wearily answered that question by including the injury-prone 34-year-old, yet that only opened up an avenue to an even more divisive line of enquiry: Will Neymar start for Brazil?

Ancelotti refused to be drawn on this topic when his 26-player shortlist was announced. “He might play; he might not; he might be on the bench and come on,” the former Real Madrid boss sniffed.

CBF executive coordinator Rodrigo Caetano expanded on Neymar’s status as just another member of the roster. “Neymar was really receptive, which comes as no surprise to me. I think it was extremely positive; the message the manager received was also positive,” he explained to ge.

“That Neymar understands that, should he be called up, he would be just another member of that 26-man squad and that he would do everything to earn his minutes, to earn his chance, to earn his place in the team. As is the nature of a top-level athlete, as is the case with him.”

“I think that goal he had of going to a World Cup—his fourth World Cup—and being one of the record holders in many categories,” Caetano added. “I think it’s an important realization at the peak of his maturity now, at the age he is, to say: ‘Man, I’m privileged, and I’m going to experience this.’”

Neymar hasn’t started an international fixture since October 2023 when he tore his ACL against Uruguay. Since the 2022 World Cup, Brazil’s all-time record scorer has only earned four caps.

Despite his limited involvement for club or country, the faith in Neymar from within the Brazil setup is fierce. “It goes without saying that Neymar has earned his place,” Caetano added. “Once the technical committee and the manager understood his progress, both physically and technically, and the number of matches he’d played, a conversation with him was necessary.

“We didn’t give him any certainty of a call-up, because we haven’t done that and wouldn’t do it with anyone else, but we discussed the possibility of calling him up for the World Cup and the reasons that led the technical committee to consider it.”

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