Neymar Suffers Calf Injury Blow Ahead of Brazil’s World Cup Campaign
By Zeeshan Khan :
Brazil forward Neymar has been ruled out of the national team’s upcoming friendly matches and is expected to miss Brazil’s opening fixture of the 2026 World Cup after scans confirmed a calf injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation said on Thursday.
Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed that the 34-year-old attacker sustained a grade-two calf strain, an injury involving a partial tear of muscle fibres that typically requires several weeks of recovery and rehabilitation.
Speaking ahead of a scheduled press conference, Lasmar said Neymar underwent medical examinations and an MRI scan shortly after reporting to Brazil’s training camp at Granja Comary.
“Neymar reported for duty yesterday and all medical evaluations confirmed a grade-two calf injury,” Lasmar said, adding that the player is expected to remain sidelined for another two to three weeks.
The setback means Brazil’s all-time leading scorer will miss Sunday’s friendly against Panama national football team at the Maracana Stadium as well as the following match against Egypt national football team in Cleveland.
The injury has also placed serious doubt over Neymar’s availability for Brazil’s opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Morocco national football team on June 13 in New Jersey.
Brazil are placed in Group C alongside Morocco, Haiti and Scotland.
Neymar had only recently returned to the national team setup after being recalled by manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose decision generated excitement among Brazilian supporters despite the forward’s recent injury struggles and inconsistent club form.
The former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star has endured repeated fitness problems in recent years, limiting his appearances for both club and country.
He currently plays for Santos, where his return has so far failed to fully revive his career after a difficult period marked by injuries and limited playing time.
Neymar had missed Brazil’s first training session on Wednesday before being sent to a private clinic in Teresopolis for further medical assessment after reporting discomfort and swelling in his right calf.
The diagnosis differed from earlier assessments provided by Santos officials, who had initially described the issue as minor swelling rather than a muscle tear.
Club doctor Rodrigo Zogaib had previously stated that Neymar was fit to join the national team camp and expected to begin training normally.
Instead, the new medical findings have raised fresh concerns about the player’s long-term fitness ahead of the World Cup.
Ancelotti is already dealing with several absences within his squad. Defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos, along with forward Gabriel Martinelli, were unavailable for the Panama fixture because of their involvement in last weekend’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar remains one of the most influential players in Brazilian football history, having scored 79 goals in 128 international appearances for the five-time world champions.
However, his recurring injuries have increasingly overshadowed the latter stages of his career and created uncertainty over his role in Brazil’s plans for the World Cup.
Earlier this month, Ancelotti told Reuters that Neymar would not receive special treatment regarding selection decisions and insisted that places in the squad would depend entirely on fitness and performance levels rather than reputation or sentiment.
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