On the eve of Brazil’s 2026 World Cup debut, Carlo Ancelotti shared some insight on the fitness status of La Seleçao superstar Neymar Jr.

Brazil’s quest to conquer a sixth World Cup title starts with a difficult match against 2022 semifinalists Morocco, a game Ancelotti unsurprisingly confirmed Neymar will miss due to a calf injury he’s been recovering from since the start of Brazil’s pre-tournament camp.

Neymar has yet to train alongside the rest of Brazil’s squad, but Ancelotti is confident the national all-time leading goalscorer will rejoin the rest of the team very soon.

“Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible,” Ancelotti said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “The expectation is that he can rejoin the group [training] next week.”

The Italian decided not to withdraw Neymar from Brazil’s squad despite his injury, passing on the opportunity to replace him with a fully fit player, such as Chelsea star João Pedro. Ancelotti revealed Neymar’s place in the team goes beyond what he can offer on the pitch.

“When we called up Neymar, we did it not just because of his technical quality, which is undeniable,” Ancelotti said. “But also because of his experience, the example he could represent for the younger players on the team.”

Could Neymar Miss Entire World Cup Group Stage?

Despite Ancelotti’s positive update, Brazilian outlet UOL Esporte reports that Neymar’s availability for the entire group stage is in doubt.

When Neymar’s grade two calf injury was officially diagnosed by Brazil’s medical staff, a two to three week recovery timeline was set. The No. 10 being fit for the bout against Morocco seemed unlikely, but all signs pointed at him being ready for La Seleçao’s bout against Hati on July 19.

Now, though, UOL suggest Neymar could also miss Brazil’s second match. Even if he returns to training, the attacker will still be battling to get his back into playing shape considering he hasn’t competed since May 17. Neymar’s recent injury history suggests that rushing him back to the pitch could lead to the issue resurfacing again, so Brazil may be extra cautious with his recovery.

When Neymar will make his 2026 World Cup debut remains unclear, but him taking the pitch in Brazil’s No. 10 shirt for the first time in almost three years is one of the most highly-anticipated moments of the tournament this summer.

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