Brazil will be without Neymar for their final World Cup warm-up match against Egypt, with the forward remaining in New Jersey to continue his recovery programme rather than travelling to Cleveland with the rest of the squad.
The Santos star, who is recovering from a calf injury, has been left behind by Carlo Ancelotti’s coaching staff as Brazil prioritise having their talisman fully fit for the start of the tournament.
“Neymar will remain in New Jersey to continue physiotherapy treatment and intensify his recovery work,” the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed in an official statement on Thursday.
The 34-year-old arrived at Brazil’s training camp already carrying a physical problem after suffering a calf injury during a Brasileirao fixture with Santos on 17 May. While his club initially described the issue as a simple oedema, the CBF conducted its own medical assessment after his arrival.
Further scans reportedly revealed a grade-two muscle injury, forcing the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star to miss Brazil’s 6-2 victory over Panama at the Maracana and now ruling him out of the final friendly against Egypt.
As a result, Neymar has spent the majority of the training camp working indoors, focusing on rehabilitation and individual conditioning while only making brief appearances on the training pitch.
His availability for Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on 13 June at MetLife Stadium remains uncertain, although the coaching staff continue to project confidence.
Despite the fitness concerns, Ancelotti has repeatedly insisted that Neymar’s place in the squad is not under threat. “To be absolutely clear, he will be with us,” the Italian manager said. “We have complete confidence in him and there will be no changes. These are the 26 players who will represent Brazil at the World Cup.”
With the tournament now only days away, Brazil are taking no unnecessary risks with their biggest star, hoping that a cautious approach now will allow Neymar to play a decisive role when the competition truly begins.