Forward Neymar will once again miss a Brazilian national team match in the 2026 football World Cup against Haiti on Friday, despite having recently returned to training following an injury.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced today that the forward will not travel with the squad for the second match of Group C, remaining in New Jersey to “optimize the final phase of his recovery” instead of traveling with the team to Philadelphia.
The 34-year-old Neymar returned to group training under Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday, after being sidelined for about a month due to a grade II muscle injury in his right calf.
Today, the Santos player trained again without any apparent limitations and was seen talking with the national head coach before the start of the training session.
Read more about this topic: World Cup: Neymar injured, a doubt for opener vs. Morocco (with video)
The forward was on the substitutes’ bench during Brazil’s tournament opener against Morocco but was not used, as he was still undergoing his recovery process. The CBF expects Neymar to be available for the third and final group stage match against Scotland, scheduled for next Wednesday in Miami.
The player sustained the injury on May 17 during a Brasileirão match, just a day before Ancelotti announced the 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. Despite the physical setback, the Italian coach decided to keep Neymar in the final tournament squad.
The forward has not represented the senior Brazilian national team since October 2023, when he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay.
Following a 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opening match, Brazil sits in third place in Group C, tied with the African side, both trailing two points behind Scotland, who defeated Haiti 1-0.
