Neymar will not be traveling with the Brazil national team to Philadelphia for their World Cup Group C match against Haiti, as confirmed by the Brazilian Football Confederation on Thursday.
The CBF stated, “He will stay in New Jersey to focus on the final phase of his recovery, utilizing the excellent facilities at The Ridge hotel and the Columbia Park training center,” which is associated with Red Bull New York.
At 34, Neymar has been sidelined for a month due to a right calf injury but made a brief appearance at training with his Brazil teammates for the first time during this World Cup on Wednesday in Morristown, New Jersey.
He joined fellow players Raphinha, Bruno Guimarães, Gabriel Magalhães, and Fabinho on the pitch, joking with the media by asking, “Did you miss me?”
After participating in some team drills, Neymar returned to the sidelines to focus on individual training with Brazil’s coaching staff.
He had also trained alone on the sidelines for the first time on Tuesday since arriving in the U.S.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star participated in running drills and worked out with a coach from Carlo Ancelotti’s staff on Tuesday, as shown in footage from the CBF.
Neymar was called up for the tournament despite suffering a calf injury while playing for Santos on May 17, and he had not practiced since the incident.
The five-time world champion Brazil, who drew 1-1 with Morocco on Saturday, is set to face Haiti on Friday before their final Group C matchup against Scotland on June 24.
Reports indicated that Neymar, still recovering from a Grade II muscle injury, had a follow-up medical examination on Monday, though the results are pending confirmation by the CBF.
Brazilian media mentioned that medical staff hope to have him ready for the knockout stages, meaning he will miss both matches against Haiti and Scotland in Group C.
Neymar has not competed for the senior national team since October 17, 2023, when he tore his ACL and meniscus in his left knee during a South American qualifier against Uruguay in Montevideo.
Since that injury, he has not represented Brazil again, spending nearly 700 days sidelined due to injuries, recovery, and rest, according to data from Transfermarkt.
Neymar was seated on the bench during Brazil’s 1-1 opener against Morocco but was not dressed in the team’s kit.
Ancelotti commented before Saturday’s match, “Neymar is working extremely hard to recover as soon as possible. We expect him to return and rejoin the team next week. When we included him on the roster, we did so for his undeniable technical skills and the experience he brings, which sets a great example for the younger players.”