Neymar ruled out of Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Saturday that Neymar will miss their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Morocco due to a calf injury.timesofoman
Neymar suffered a Grade 2 calf strain on May 17 while playing for Santos and has not appeared for Brazil since 2023, according to Al Jazeera.aljazeera
Brazil face further injury blows with Rodrygo, Estevao, and Eder Militao also unavailable as they chase a sixth World Cup title, per Reuters.reuters

Neymar Ruled Out of Brazil’s World Cup Opener Against Morocco

Brazil will take the field without their all-time leading scorer Neymar when they open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Morocco on Saturday evening at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the news at his pre-match press conference on Friday, stating that the 34-year-old forward has not recovered from a calf injury sustained last month.timesofoman

“Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible,” Ancelotti said. “The expectation is that he will recover and rejoin the group next week.”moroccoworldnews

A Lingering Setback From Santos

The injury traces back to May 17, when Neymar felt calf pain during Santos’s 3-0 loss to Coritiba in the Brazilian league. Santos initially described the issue as a minor edema, but an MRI conducted after Neymar reported to the national team camp on May 27 revealed a Grade 2 calf strain — a partial tear of muscle fibers requiring two to three weeks of rehabilitation.chosun

According to Al Jazeera, Brazilian national team physician Rodrigo Lasmar said the scan showed “a grade-two calf injury, rather than just swelling,” contradicting Santos’s earlier assessment. Reports emerged that Ancelotti’s staff suspected Santos may have downplayed the severity of the problem.aljazeera

The injury already kept Neymar out of Brazil’s warm-up friendlies against Panama and Egypt, and he has not yet resumed full training with the squad.chosun

Brazil’s Depth Tested Early

Neymar’s absence compounds an already difficult injury situation for Brazil. According to Reuters, Ancelotti has also lost Rodrygo, Estevao, Eder Militao, and Wesley — all potential starters — to fitness issues ahead of the tournament. CBS Sports projects Matheus Cunha will start alongside Vinicius Junior and Raphinha in attack.reuters

Brazil remain hopeful Neymar could feature in their second Group C match against Haiti on June 19 in Philadelphia, though his timeline is uncertain. Neymar has not appeared for Brazil since 2023, when a torn ACL during World Cup qualifying sidelined him for over a year.fourfourtwo

Saturday’s match kicks off at 6 p.m. EDT, with Morocco — the surprise 2022 World Cup semifinalists — presenting a formidable opening test for a Brazilian side chasing a record-extending sixth title.cbssports