Brazil forward Neymar is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the World Cup after suffering a calf injury that is expected to sideline him for up to three weeks.
Brazil national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar disclosed on Thursday that medical examinations confirmed a grade two muscle injury, raising doubts over the 34-year-old’s availability for the team’s opening match against Morocco on June 13.
According to Lasmar, Neymar will miss Brazil’s pre-World Cup friendly matches against Panama and Egypt while undergoing treatment.
“An MRI scan identified a grade two muscle injury. Our expectation is that he will be available in two to three weeks,” Lasmar said at Brazil’s training camp outside Rio de Janeiro.
The Santos forward joined his international teammates at the training centre on Wednesday but did not participate in the opening training session.
Neymar had already missed several recent matches for Santos due to what coach Cuca previously described as a minor injury.
His inclusion in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man World Cup squad had sparked debate, as the forward had not featured for Brazil in nearly three years because of recurring injuries and inconsistent form.
Ancelotti had earlier omitted Neymar from Brazil’s March friendly matches against France and Croatia, citing concerns over his fitness.
Despite his absence from recent international fixtures, Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances for the national team.
The upcoming tournament will mark his fourth World Cup appearance for the Selecao. His last outing for Brazil came in 2023 during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay.
