Neymar a Doubt for Brazil’s World Cup Opener Due to Injury
An MRI showed a partial calf tear that requires rest and rehabilitation, and Brazil said the 34-year-old could be sidelined for two to three weeks.
- On Thursday, the Brazilian Football Confederation ruled Neymar out of upcoming friendlies after an MRI scan revealed a grade-two calf injury, casting doubt on his availability for the World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13.
- Santos team doctor Rodrigo Zogaib had claimed the injury was merely swelling, but CBF doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed the MRI revealed a moderate strain involving a partial tear of muscle fibers requiring rehabilitation.
- Manager Carlo Ancelotti had recalled the 34-year-old forward last week after observing his physical progress at Santos, though Neymar has not started an international fixture since tearing his ACL against Uruguay in October 2023.
- The forward will miss Sunday's friendly against Panama and the subsequent match against Egypt, while his two-to-three-week recovery timeline leaves his World Cup availability in serious question.
- If the optimistic two-week forecast holds, Neymar could return by June 11, but Brazil must prepare for World Cup matches against Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland without their all-time leading scorer.
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40 Articles
Brazilian football player Neymar suffered a second-degree calf injury and will be out of action for two to three weeks, the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) announced.
Brazil star Neymar injured and unlikely to be fit for first game at World Cup
Picking injury-prone Neymar in Brazil’s World Cup squad seemed a risk and so it has proved just 10 days later. The 34-year-old forward has a calf injury and likely will not be fit for Brazil’s opening game against Morocco. Brazil…
Brazil trembles for Neymar. Touched with the calf, the best scorer in the history of the "Seleçao" suffers from a muscle injury and will be away from the field for "two to three weeks". The 34-year-old Brazilian star, who will probably miss the start of her selection against Morocco, is uncertain for the competition. - World Cup 2026: Neymar worries Brazil, package at best for the start of the World Cup (Sports).
The injury of Neymar has arrived at the worst possible time for Brazil. The striker suffers a grade II muscle injury in the right twin, confirmed by the medical side of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) after the tests carried out and the magnetic resonance monitored by Dr. Rodrigo Lasmar. The estimated time of discharge is between two and three weeks, a period that leaves his participation in the air facing the beginning of the World C…
Neymar likely to miss Brazil World Cup 2026 opener due to serious calf injury confirmed in medical scan
Football News: Neymar faces potential absence from Brazil's World Cup 2026 opener due to a serious calf injury, raising concerns ahead of the tournament. The Brazilian Football Confederation reports a grade-two injury and recovery concerns.
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