▲ Brazil's Neymar inspects the pitch before the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C match against Morocco on the 13th.
Brazilian national football team superstar Neymar (34, Santos), who is recovering from a right calf injury, will miss the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Group C match against Haiti on the 20th.
ESPN reported today (June 19), citing the Brazilian Football Confederation, that Neymar will not travel to Philadelphia Stadium, where the match against Haiti will be held, and will instead remain at the team's base camp in Morristown, New Jersey, to continue his rehabilitation training.
Neymar, the all-time leading goalscorer for the Brazilian national team (79 goals in 128 matches), sustained the right calf injury during a match for his club, Santos, on May 17.
He watched the Group C opening match against Morocco from the bench, wearing a tracksuit instead of his team uniform.
Although he joined his teammates for training for the first time in this tournament two days ago, his physical condition has not yet fully recovered.
Neymar's absence is disappointing news for Brazil.
Brazil is aiming for its sixth World Cup title under renowned manager Carlo Ancelotti, but the team had a rocky start with a 1-1 draw against Morocco in the first match.
Brazilian media outlets predict that the national team's medical staff is targeting Neymar's return for the knockout stage rather than the group stage.
Consequently, it is highly likely that Neymar will also miss the final group stage match against Scotland on the 24th.
(Photo: Getty Images Korea)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.