Neymar didn’t touch the ball once during Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13. He didn’t need to. The 34-year-old forward, sidelined with a Grade 2 calf injury sustained in May, reportedly spent the match doing what he does best when he can’t play: coaching from the bench.
His tactical instructions apparently helped. Vinícius Júnior buried the equalizer during a chaotic scramble in the Moroccan penalty area, with six Brazilian players crowding the box at the moment of impact. The match ended 1-1, a result that keeps Brazil’s group stage hopes alive while raising familiar questions about Neymar’s role in a tournament he may barely participate in.
The match, the injury, and the sideline general
Neymar’s inclusion in Brazil’s World Cup squad was itself a statement. The calf injury he picked up in mid-May was serious enough to require constant treatment at the team’s base in New Jersey leading up to the tournament. Grade 2 injuries typically involve partial tearing of muscle fibers, meaning recovery timelines are measured in weeks, not days.
Neymar’s crypto portfolio: a different kind of injury
