Has Neymar been left out of the World Cup?

A calf injury has put Neymar in a race against time, as Brazil has only days left to decide whether to keep him in their 2026 World Cup squad.

Neymar suffered a serious injury with the World Cup fast approaching.

Just over two weeks before their opening match against Morocco at the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian national team received unwelcome news regarding Neymar. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed that the 34-year-old striker suffered a grade 2 muscle injury in his right calf after the latest examinations.

According to doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, Neymar's expected recovery time is two to three weeks. This means the Santos star will definitely miss Brazil's final two friendly matches before the World Cup, against Panama on May 31st and Egypt on June 6th.

In the best-case scenario, Neymar could only return to training and playing from June 11th. Meanwhile, Brazil's World Cup opening match will take place on June 13th against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (USA).

This tight timeframe is what makes the possibility of Neymar being left out of the World Cup squad a topic of great interest in Brazil.

According to FIFA regulations, a player already on the official roster can still be substituted if they suffer an injury or serious illness. However, that decision must be made at least 24 hours before the team's first match in the tournament.

Neymar has done everything he can to be included in the Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The CBF now has until 7 PM on June 12th to finalize its selection. If they want to replace Neymar, the federation must submit a detailed medical report to FIFA. After review, the FIFA Medical Committee will decide whether the player's injury is serious enough to prevent him from participating in the tournament.

If he is dropped from the squad, Neymar will officially lose his place in the World Cup, and his replacement must be a player from the preliminary list that Brazil had already registered.

However, the door to the World Cup is not yet closed for Neymar. The Brazilian national team's coaching staff will reportedly closely monitor his recovery in the coming days before making a final decision.

With 6 goals and 4 assists in 15 matches for Santos this season, Neymar is still considered one of coach Carlo Ancelotti's most important players in the quest to conquer the 2026 World Cup. However, right now, what Brazil needs most is not the world-class skills of their number 10, but a miracle from the medical room.

Source: https://znews.vn/neymar-bi-loai-khoi-world-cup-post1655139.html