Brazil’s biggest question heading into the 2026 World Cup isn’t about tactics or formations. It’s about one player’s calf muscle.
Neymar, the country’s all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals, missed Brazil’s opening group match against Morocco on June 13, a contest that ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw. He sustained a calf injury while playing for Santos FC in mid-May, and medical staff have kept him on a careful rehabilitation timeline since. The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed he won’t travel for the June 20 match against Haiti, but the final group-stage fixture against Scotland on June 24 remains a live possibility.
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The injury timeline and what Brazil’s medical staff are thinking
Neymar has been restricted to individual training sessions since joining the World Cup camp. The decision to skip the Haiti match isn’t surprising. Brazil’s medical team is clearly prioritizing the knockout rounds over a group-stage fixture. His inclusion in the 26-man squad despite the injury tells you everything about his value to this team. You don’t burn a roster spot on a player who might not feature unless that player fundamentally changes what you can do on the pitch.
