Injury Update: Neymar’s World Cup Opener in Doubt After Calf Problem

Neymar to miss Brazil’s final World Cup prep matches with calf strain  

The Brazil forward will sit out games against Panama and Egypt after suffering a grade-two calf injury. Recovery progress will decide if he faces Morocco.

A two-to-three week calf injury means Neymar will miss Brazil’s final World Cup warm-ups. His participation in the opener against Morocco now depends on his recovery...

Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed on Thursday that Neymar has picked up a grade-two strain in his right calf. He’s expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks, meaning the forward will miss the final warm-up friendlies before the World Cup.

The injury forces a change in the coaching staff’s plans for the upcoming matches. Neymar will sit out Brazil’s games against Panama on Sunday the 31st and against Egypt on June 6th.

The estimated recovery timeline also puts Neymar’s availability for Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco in doubt. 

Whether he plays will depend on how his recovery progresses in the next few weeks. “It’s not just swelling,” Lasmar explained.  

The injury was confirmed a day after Neymar skipped Brazil’s first official training session at Granja Comary in Teresopolis on Wednesday and was sent to a local clinic for tests.

Neymar had already reported to camp with swelling in his calf. The issue first appeared on May 17th, when he felt pain during Santos’ 3-0 loss to Coritiba in the Brazilian league.

He hadn’t taken part in ball work in training since then, a red flag that today’s medical report has now confirmed.