Neymar has been ruled out of Brazil’s upcoming international friendlies and is expected to miss the opening match of their World Cup campaign after medical scans confirmed a grade-two calf injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation said.
Key takeaways
- Brazil’s medical assessment has ruled Neymar out of the next two friendlies.
- Scans identified a grade-two calf injury, leading to an expected recovery window of two to three weeks.
- The Brazil team doctor stated Neymar is set to be reassessed for clearance within that timeframe.
- Brazil’s schedule includes a friendly versus Panama at the Maracana and a later match against Egypt in Cleveland.
- Neymar is also heavily unlikely to be available for Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey.
Injury update and timeline
Brazil’s team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, delivered the setback ahead of a players’ media session, confirming the 34-year-old forward is facing a spell on the sidelines lasting roughly two to three more weeks.
Lasmar said Neymar reported for training duties at Granja Comary the day before the announcement and completed all required examinations. He added that an MRI scan did not simply show swelling, but instead revealed a grade-two calf injury. Lasmar stated Neymar should be ready for clearance in about two to three weeks.
Lasmar did not specify whether Neymar could be removed from Brazil’s squad list, leaving the selection question open for the next steps in the tournament preparation.
How the injury was discovered and how it differs from earlier reports
Neymar joined the national team on Tuesday, but he missed the first training session on Wednesday. After he complained of swelling in his right calf, he was taken to a private clinic in Teresopolis for imaging tests.
Lasmar clarified that the MRI results indicated a grade-two calf strain rather than the swelling that had been previously suggested. He described the injury as moderate, involving a partial tear of the muscle fibres, requiring rest and a period of rehabilitation.
The new diagnosis contrasts with the situation presented by Santos before the squad was announced. Santos doctor Rodrigo Zogaib had previously said the issue was only swelling and suggested Neymar would be fit to start training on Tuesday.
Friendlies and World Cup impact
With the injury confirmed, Neymar will miss Sunday’s friendly against Panama at the Maracana, as well as the subsequent fixture against Egypt in Cleveland. His availability for Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco—African champions—on June 13 in New Jersey is now considered unlikely.
Brazil will also enter the tournament in Group C alongside Haiti and Scotland.
Other absences and the backdrop to Neymar’s return
Brazil’s manager Carlo Ancelotti was already preparing for Sunday’s match without defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos, and forward Gabriel Martinelli. The trio were unavailable because of their involvement in last weekend’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar’s return to the national squad last week had sparked significant excitement after he had not been included in Ancelotti’s plans during the Italian’s first year in charge. The forward has scored 79 goals in 128 international appearances, though he has also dealt with years of injury problems and an underwhelming spell back at Santos.
Earlier in May, Ancelotti said in an interview that Neymar would not receive any special treatment and that selection would be determined purely by fitness and form, rather than sentiment.
For now, Brazil must plan their next matches without Neymar as they navigate the injury timetable and prepare for the World Cup opener.
