Neymar has suffered a calf injury that will sideline him for Santos‘ upcoming matches, but he is expected to be ready next week to join the Brazil national team camp ahead of the World Cup.
Santos’ medical director Rodrigo Zogaib confirmed on Wednesday that Neymar has suffered a 2-millimeter edema causing swelling in his right calf.
Despite the setback, Zogaib said the injury will not prevent the star forward from being fit by May 27, when he is scheduled to start preparations with Brazil for the World Cup.
“Neymar has a minor calf injury, an edema,” Zogaib said to Brazilian sports network “ge.” “But, according to our planning, his progress will allow him to be fit next week when he will join up with the national team.”
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Neymar has been receiving treatment at Santos’ Rei Pelé Training Center with his personal staff, and is being closely monitored by the Brazilian Football Confederation doctors.
Neymar’s injury comes just two days after he was included by Carlo Ancelotti in Brazil’s final 26-man roster for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking his fourth World Cup appearance.
According to ESPN sources, the incident raised concerns within Ancelotti’s coaching staff in the hours leading up to the final roster announcement, fearing Neymar’s injury could alter his initial training schedule and his availability for the Panama friendly on May 31.
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The last match with Brazil for the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker was in October 2023. Ancelotti had omitted Neymar from all his previous call-ups, repeatedly emphasizing that he would only select players at 100% physical capacity.
The injury was diagnosed following Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat against Coritiba.
Neymar was replaced in the second half of that game after receiving treatment for a calf problem, but he didn’t realize he had been substituted and went back on the field, a situation that provoked a heated altercation with the referee over what he considered a mistake with the substitution board.
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Santos omitted their captain from Wednesday’s Copa Sudamericana clash against San Lorenzo. He is also expected to miss Saturday’s Brazilian league match against Grêmio and next Tuesday’s final group-stage Sudamericana game vs. Deportivo Cuenca.
Brazil will face Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C of the World Cup.
Information from ESPN’s Pedro Ivo Almeida was used in this report.
