The return of Neymar to Brazil was one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 World Cup build-up, but fans will have to wait a bit longer to see him back on the pitch, as he won’t play against Morocco, where a win, draw, or defeat could define Brazil’s journey in the tournament.
Prior to the World Cup, Neymar suffered a grade-2 calf strain in his right leg. This has extended the time he has not played for Brazil, but manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident he will be ready for their next clash.
“Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible,” Ancelotti said on Friday about the forward’s progress. “The expectation is that he will recover and rejoin the group next week.” Follow Brazil vs. Morocco live with us!
Neymar misses a key match against Morocco
Morocco’s improvement in the FIFA rankings should definitely alert Brazil. The Africans were semifinalists in Qatar 2022, making many believe their 2026 World Cup campaign could be even better.
Neymar Jr. of Brazil celebrates after scoring.
Neymar was not expected to be a starter against Morocco, but rather a solid substitute if needed. However, he is widely expected to see action against Haiti in a game where Brazil will need to seek as many goals as possible to potentially decide the group leadership via a goal-difference tiebreaker.
Neymar is not the only big star missing from Brazil’s offense. Other big names such as Rodrygo, Joao Pedro, and Richarlison are also out of the World Cup, as they didn’t even make the roster cut on Ancelotti’s list.
Carlo Ancelotti is under a lot of pressure
Carlo Ancelotti is the first-ever non-Brazilian manager to coach the Canarinha. There is always pressure on the Seleção’s coach, but this factor definitely makes it even greater.
Also, of all the World Cup champions there have been, all the national teams have lifted the trophy under the guidance of a homegrown manager. If Italian mastermind Carlo Ancelotti can achieve this feat in this edition, he will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the greatest coaches in soccer history.
