Neymar ruled out of Brazil's World Cup clash with Haiti, staying in New Jersey to complete recovery

Neymar, 34, will miss Brazil's second World Cup group game against Haiti on Friday night at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the Brazilian football federation (CBF) confirmed on Thursday. The forward will stay at the team's base in New Jersey to focus on the final stage of his recovery from a right calf injury sustained a month ago while playing for Santos.

“He will remain in New Jersey to make the most of the final stage of his recovery, making use of the excellent facilities at The Ridge hotel and the Columbia Park training centre.”

Recovery gains pace

Neymar had been limited to indoor gym work with physiotherapists since his injury. This week he returned to the grass for two consecutive sessions, joining the squad warm-up on Wednesday before completing individual drills with the ball. On Thursday, he repeated the routine and spoke with coach Carlo Ancelotti as the team held a closed session. Teammates marked his return to the field with a guard of honour and playful back-slaps.

Cautious approach from Ancelotti

Ancelotti had expressed hope last week that Neymar might face Haiti, but the technical staff are not willing to rush the number 10. Brazilian media report that the priority is to have him ready for the knockout phase, not risk a setback in an early group match. Neymar has not played for the Seleção since October 2023, when he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament; his last competitive minutes came in a Santos shirt.

What's next for Brazil

Brazil collected one point from their opening 1–1 draw with Morocco and will be favourites to beat a Haiti side that lost to Scotland. The group stage concludes on 24 June against Scotland, a game that is now the most realistic target for Neymar's World Cup debut. Left-back Douglas Santos summed up the squad's mood.

“We are praying he recovers to 100 per cent because when he is at 100 per cent, he can help us a lot.”

Timeline of his World Cup countdown