Neymar will not travel to Cleveland with Brazil’s World Cup team on Saturday for the friendly against Egypt, the country’s football association said.
The Brazilian Football Federation said on Thursday that the 34-year-old striker would remain in New Jersey to undergo treatment.
Last week, the team doctor said Neymar is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks due to a calf injury. Brazil’s opening match at the World Cup is on June 13 against Morocco in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and it was not clear whether Neymar would be ready to play in it.
Choosing Neymar for the 26-player squad was considered a risk due to his health. He is Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals but has struggled since returning after tearing the cruciate ligament in his left knee in October 2023 during a World Cup qualifier.
“He can still improve his fitness until the first match of the World Cup,” coach Carlos Ancelotti said last month. “He has experience in these types of competitions, the love of our group, he can create a better climate in this group.”
Neymar played eight games for Santos FC this year and scored four goals and two assists.
According to FIFA rules, an injured player may be replaced up to one day before a team’s first match at the tournament. If he plays, this would be Neymar’s fourth World Cup.
Brazil named 32-year-old defender Marquinhos as captain earlier this week.
“You think of all the legendary captains who have worn this armband before, so I feel very honored and very happy,” Marquinhos said in Portuguese on Wednesday.
“Being captain is not just about wearing the armband and playing football. It is much more than that. It starts with the person and what you can contribute to the group, to your teammates and to the team as a whole.”
Published on June 5, 2026
