World Cup 2026: Neymar ruled out as Brazil suffers major injury blow

Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil’s head coach, has declared that Neymar will be unavailable for the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Morocco.

The Selecao will begin their competition at MetLife Stadium on June 13.

Despite his recent injury, Neymar was called up to the 26-man team.

Although he has not represented the national team since 2023, Ancelotti chose to support him.

The 34-year-old was seen expressing his emotions as he boarded the plane to the United States, joining teammates such as Joao Pedro and Richarlison. However, shortly after his selection, he sustained a new injury, which has postponed his return to the field.

Ancelotti previously stated that Brazil would not seek a replacement for the injured player. Reports indicated that the forward was making encouraging progress in preparation for Brazil’s first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, it has now been officially confirmed that their star player will not participate in the match against Morocco. Ancelotti informed the media:

“He is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible. The expectation is that he will recover and rejoin the group next week.”

After the match with Morocco, Brazil will face Haiti and Scotland in Group C. Should Neymar recover in time, there is hope that he will be able to gain some valuable playing time against these teams.