Brazilian superstar Neymar is now a major doubt for Brazil’s opening match of the World Cup after suffering a calf injury that could sideline him for up to three weeks.
The 34-year-old Santos forward will miss Brazil’s pre-World Cup friendly matches against Panama and Egypt, with concerns also growing over his availability for the Selecao’s opening tournament clash against Morocco on June 13.
Brazil national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed on Thursday that medical scans revealed a grade two muscle injury.
“An MRI scan identified a grade two muscle injury. Our expectation is that he will be available in two to three weeks,” Lasmar said.
Neymar joined Brazil’s training camp near Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday but did not participate in the team’s first training session.
The injury comes after the former Barcelona and PSG star recently missed several matches for Santos, with his club manager previously describing the issue as a “slight injury.”
His inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man World Cup squad had already sparked debate, as Neymar had not featured for Brazil in almost three years due to injuries and inconsistent form.
Despite his long a
bsence, Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances for the national team.
This tournament is expected to be his fourth FIFA World Cup appearance.
His last match for Brazil came in 2023 during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay.
AFP
