Neymar available for Brazil against Scotland as Scots chase first-ever World Cup knockout spot

Neymar’s return

Neymar has missed Brazil’s opening matches with a calf injury but is now in contention to face Scotland. Ancelotti told reporters the 34-year-old forward trained well all week and could feature from the bench or even start.

“He can play 90 minutes – walking. No, he's fine, he worked very well, he trained very well.”

The Brazilian media peppered Ancelotti with questions about their record scorer, who has not appeared for the national team in almost three years.

Ancelotti also confirmed that Barcelona winger Raphinha is out with a hamstring problem. He said a replacement had already been chosen, namechecking Bournemouth’s Rayan as a player in good form.

“We have a clear idea of who will replace Raphinha; there's no point worrying about cards.”

Scotland’s historic opportunity

Scotland have never progressed beyond a World Cup group stage. A draw against the five-time champions – or even a narrow defeat – would likely see them through. Captain Andy Robertson said the team was ready to create history.

“We want to achieve history for our little country. We have an opportunity to do that tomorrow night.”

Manager Steve Clarke urged Robertson to have “the best night of his life” and recalled his own memory of scoring for Scotland’s under-19s at the Azteca Stadium, a possible venue for the next round.

Tartan Army and an ancient ball

Scotland’s supporters, the Tartan Army, have been one of the stories of the tournament, charming host cities. Bars in Boston reportedly ran low on beer during Scotland’s first two games, and Robertson suggested Miami could face a similar fate if his side wins. In a quirk of timing, the world’s oldest football – discovered in the rafters of Stirling Castle and dated between 1540 and 1570 – is on display in Coral Gables and will be shown at the stadium.

Group C standings

Ahead of the Miami fixture, Brazil and Morocco both sit on four points. Scotland have three. A win or draw would secure Scotland a place in the last 32; even a defeat might be enough, depending on the margin and results elsewhere. Ancelotti expects a difficult contest, noting that Scotland are well organised and that easy World Cup games are a thing of the past.

Brazil4

Morocco4

Scotland3

Brazil

4 points

Morocco

4 points

Scotland

3 points

Data from the article text