Report: Neymar Jr. likely to miss Brazil friendlies before 2026 World Cup amid calf injury concerns

Neymar Jr. has managed to secure a place in Brazil’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. Despite serious doubts surrounding his physical condition, head coach Carlo Ancelotti and his staff decided to trust his veteran leadership and experience. However, Neymar is dealing with calf problems at Santos. Because of this, he could reportedly miss the friendlies, as there is a dilemma regarding the true state of his injury.

According to Pedro Ivo Almeida via ESPN Brazil, Neymar has edema in the calf of his right leg. Because of this, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and Santos FC have two different perspectives regarding the severity of the injury. While Brazil consider that he will not be available for the debut on May 31, Santos believe that he could be ready to play on May 26 in the Copa Sudamericana.

Despite these differences, the CBF are not considering removing the 34-year-old star from the 26-man squad, as they expect him to recover in the coming weeks. However, they are already planning a specific recovery program for the first days of training camp, making his presence against Panama and Egypt highly doubtful. Because of this, both parties have decided to wait for the final report on May 27 before making a decision regarding his availability.

In case that that Neymar fails to recover for the 2026 World Cup debut, head coach Carlo Ancelotti could decide to leave him out of the final list. With his presence in the friendly games in doubt, the 34-year-old star is expected to have a specific workout plan to boost his fitness. The CBF and Santos FC remain positive about the evolution of his physical condition, so no additional scenarios are being planned yet.

Joao Pedro could still replace Neymar for Brazil at 2026 World Cup

Throughout the last few months, head coach Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear that Neymar, nor any other player, would receive special treatment. With this in mind, the 34-year-old star could be left out if he does not arrive in full condition for Brazil’s debut at the 2026 World Cup. In that case, João Pedro would have every chance of entering the Canarinha’s final 26-man list, as he has been part of the national team process in previous matches.

After leaving João out of the final squad list, Carlo Ancelotti revealed: “Obviously, I am sad for Joao Pedro, who for the season he made in Europe probably deserved to be in this list,” he said at the press conference. With his great versatility, the 24-year-old star could cover the attacking midfielder role, both wings, and the striker position. Because of this, Neymar’s potential absence due to his calf injury opens the doors to the national team.