Neymar, the Brazilian forward, is confident that his calf injury won’t hinder him during the World Cup.
He will join the national team today after missing Santos’ last three matches due to a bruised right calf.
After watching Santos secure a 3-0 victory against Deportivo Cuenca in Tuesday’s Copa Sudamericana match at Vila Belmiro, Neymar stated: “It’s all good, in one piece.”
At 34 years old, Neymar sustained the injury during Santos’ 3-0 loss to Coritiba on May 17. When questioned about whether this injury would pose a problem at the upcoming tournament, he responded, “What problem?”
Despite Neymar’s positive outlook, Brazil’s medical team is taking a careful approach to monitor his condition and has developed a tailored recovery program for him.
Sources told ESPN that the swelling in Neymar’s calf is significant, suggesting his recovery may take longer than initially anticipated by Santos. As a result, it seems unlikely he will participate in the upcoming friendly matches against Panama and Egypt, scheduled for May 31 and June 5, respectively.
Brazil will kick off their World Cup journey against Morocco on June 13. Neymar, the all-time leading goal scorer for Brazil with 79 goals, has not played for the national team since suffering an ACL injury in October 2023 during international duty.
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Neymar has made the final 26-man roster for the World Cup taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking his fourth appearance in the tournament.
Brazil’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, had previously excluded Neymar from all his earlier call-ups, citing the necessity for players to be at full fitness, but the former Barcelona star will be part of the tournament.