Neymar suffers a new injury, but Brazil is confident of having him ready for the 2026 World Cup

RIO DE JANEIRO. – Brazilian forward Neymar has edema in his right calf, although the medical staff of Santos FC assured that the player will be fit to join the concentration of the Brazilian national team for the 2026 World Cup.

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The coordinator of the Santos Health Nucleus, Rodrigo Zogaib, explained that the injury is minor and that the attacker’s progress will allow him to be available when he joins the group led by Carlo Ancelotti on May 27th. The discomfort was detected after Santos’ 0-3 defeat against Coritiba last Sunday. According to the medical report, the edema measures just two millimeters, but will force the player to remain out of action for between five and ten days. The news emerged just two days after Ancelotti surprised everyone by including Neymar in the final list of 26 players called up by Brazil for the World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The attacker will play, if he manages to fully recover, his fourth World Cup, after having been one of the main figures of Brazil in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions. Doubts about his physical condition grew because Ancelotti had avoided calling him up in previous calls, insisting that he would only summon fully recovered players. As a result of the injury, Santos left Neymar out of Wednesday’s match against San Lorenzo for the Copa Sudamericana, as well as the match next weekend for the Brazilian Championship. However, the São Paulo club does not rule out that the attacker could reappear next Tuesday against Deportivo Cuenca in the last matchday of the group stage of the Sudamericana, which would serve as a positive sign before his incorporation into the national team. According to Brazilian media, specialists from Santos and the player’s private doctors are supervising the treatment at the Rei Pelé Training Center, while the medical department of the Brazilian Football Confederation constantly monitors his progress.