Brazil will be without Neymar for its match against Haiti as the forward continues rehabilitation for a right-calf injury. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed he would remain in New Jersey rather than travel to Philadelphia with the squad. Neymar plays for Santos, where he sustained the injury in a match against Coritiba roughly a month before the Haiti fixture.
His return to training has been limited. On June 17, Neymar completed his first session since the injury, working separately from his teammates; his recovery was also being monitored with a third MRI. Brazil’s decision to leave him out against Haiti was a medical and squad-management call, not a disciplinary sanction. A place in the final group match against Scotland on June 24 remained possible, depending on his progress and medical assessments.
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has made physical readiness a condition for selection. “In modern football, to take advantage of his talent, the player has to be in good physical condition,” he said in comments reported by The Daily Star. Ancelotti has also said that if Neymar is in his best physical condition, “he will have no problems being in the national team.”
Neymar’s recovery follows a serious left-knee injury sustained in Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on October 17, 2023. The injury damaged knee ligaments and kept him out of Brazil’s official matches for an extended period. The later calf problem has interrupted a return that was already being managed cautiously.
For Brazil, Neymar’s absence may require tactical adjustments, while the squad’s depth offers options across the group stage. The immediate priority, but, is his rehabilitation; his availability against Scotland depends on how the calf responds, not on a fixed return date. Ancelotti has tied selection to fitness, saying: “Everyone wants Neymar in the national team in good physical condition.”
