By Francis Onyach - Reporter
Brazil, May 28, 2026 - Brazil’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered a major setback after Neymar was officially ruled out for the next two to three weeks with a calf injury, putting his availability for Brazil’s opening match against Morocco in serious doubt.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed that the 34-year-old forward suffered a grade-two muscle injury in his right calf following medical examinations conducted after he missed training earlier this week. Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar stated that MRI scans revealed a more serious issue than initially expected, with the recovery period estimated at between two and three weeks.
The injury means Neymar will definitely miss Brazil’s final pre-World Cup friendly matches against Panama and Egypt, while his participation in the Seleção’s opening World Cup clash against Morocco on June 13 is now highly uncertain.
The news has sparked concern across Brazil, especially because Neymar had only recently returned to the national team setup after a long absence caused by previous injuries. The Santos forward has not played for Brazil since suffering a devastating ACL injury against Uruguay in October 2023, and many supporters were hoping the 2026 tournament would mark his full international comeback under new manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Neymar arrived at Brazil’s training camp earlier this week but did not participate in the opening session. Instead, he traveled separately to a private clinic in Teresopolis for detailed imaging examinations after reporting discomfort and swelling in his calf. Reports from Brazilian media later suggested Neymar appeared visibly emotional after undergoing the MRI scan, highlighting growing fears over his World Cup condition.
The situation has also reportedly created tension between Brazil’s national team staff and Neymar’s club Santos. According to multiple reports, members of Carlo Ancelotti’s staff believe Santos may have initially downplayed the seriousness of the injury by describing it as minor swelling rather than a muscle tear. Earlier medical updates from Santos had expressed optimism that Neymar would recover quickly and be ready for World Cup preparations.
Now, however, the outlook appears far more complicated.
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The timing could hardly be worse for Brazil. Neymar remains the country’s all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals and is still viewed as one of the emotional leaders of the squad despite his recent injury struggles. Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to include Neymar in Brazil’s World Cup squad had already generated major debate among supporters and analysts, with critics questioning whether the veteran forward was physically ready for the tournament after an inconsistent spell with Santos.
Brazil will open their World Cup campaign against Morocco in what is expected to be one of the toughest opening matches of the tournament. Morocco arrive with growing confidence after continuing their rise as one of world football’s strongest national teams following their historic World Cup semifinal run in 2022.
Without Neymar, Brazil may be forced to rely more heavily on players such as Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Endrick, and Raphinha to carry the attacking responsibility during the opening stages of the tournament.
Despite the setback, Brazil’s medical staff have not completely ruled Neymar out of the World Cup. Doctors reportedly remain hopeful he could recover in time for later group-stage matches if rehabilitation progresses well over the coming weeks.
Still, the injury has once again raised painful questions about Neymar’s fitness and whether injuries will ultimately prevent one of Brazil’s greatest modern stars from having a fully healthy World Cup campaign at this stage of his career.
For now, Brazil’s camp has shifted from excitement to anxiety as the Seleção wait to discover whether their iconic number 10 will be ready when the world’s biggest tournament begins.
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