A new injury hits Neymar after he was selected for Brazil’s World Cup squad

Neymar suffered a minor calf injury, but he is expected to recover in time to join the Brazilian national team camp next week, in preparation for the FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 34-year-old player, the best scorer in Brazilian history, was selected in the national team squad last Monday, in a long-awaited return after a long absence due to injury, which kept him out of most of the qualifying matches, at a time when Brazil is seeking to win its sixth title and enhance its record.

The period preceding the announcement of the list witnessed great anticipation of coach Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to summon Neymar.

The Italian coach, who took over the leadership of the national team last year, had not previously called up the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker, who currently plays with Santos and is preparing to compete in the World Cup for the fourth time in an effort to win his first world title.

Santos club doctor Rodrigo told the Brazilian website GE Globo on Wednesday, “Neymar suffers from a minor injury to his calf, but according to our estimates, his improvement will allow him to return to physical fitness next week, when he joins the national team.”

Neymar, who scored 79 goals in 128 international matches and has not participated with the national team since 2023, is still facing criticism regarding his fitness and level.

His career with Al Hilal Saudi Arabia also faltered due to injuries, before he returned last year to his parent club, Santos, but he is still facing difficulty in regaining his usual level.

Neymar missed the Santos match, which ended in a 2-2 draw against San Lorenzo at home in the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday.

Brazil will begin its World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey, before meeting Haiti and Scotland in Group C.