Neymar will miss Brazil’s second World Cup group stage match against Haiti on Friday night. While the 34-year-old forward took a major step forward by training for the first time in two weeks at the team’s New Jersey base.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti and the medical staff are prioritizing long-term tournament survival over immediate integration. Neymar, who has not featured for the national team in over two and a half years, is now expected to sit out the remainder of the group stage with the sole objective of anchoring the Seleção attack once the knockout rounds begin.

Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad - the complete list:

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton

Defenders: Alex Sandro, Bremer, Danilo, Douglas Santos, Gabriel Magalhães, Ibañez, Leo Pereira, Marquinhos, Wesley

Midfielders: Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro, Danilo, Fabinho, Lucas Paqueta

Forwards: Endrick, Gabriel Martinelli, Igor Thiago, Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, Neymar, Raphinha, Rayan, Vinícius Júnior

Neymar convinces Carlo

Neymar is Brazil’s highest ever scorer, with 79 goals in 128 caps, but has not played for the five-time world champions since October 2023, shortly before suffering a serious knee injury that sidelined him for a year.

Until now, Neymar had not made any final Brazil rosters under Ancelotti, who was hired in May 2025. Speaking in March, the Italian pointed to the fitness issues that have continued to affect the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward.

Amid renewed knee trouble, indeed, Neymar was sidelined for Santos’s first 10 games in 2026, before finally returning in mid-February. In all, he has appeared in only 15 of the Brazilian club’s 31 matches so far this calendar year, registering six goals.

But in a recent interview with Reuters, Ancelotti spoke of the progress Neymar has made since his February return - and acknowledged that he had a big call to make on the veteran’s World Cup future. “[Neymar] has improved a lot recently and is playing consistently,” Ancelotti said. “Obviously, for me, it’s not such a simple decision. I have to weigh up the pros and cons carefully.”

Brazil’s Group C schedule in full:

• Brazil 1-1 Morocco
• June 19: Brazil vs Haiti, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
• June 24: Scotland vs Brazil, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL

Related stories

Real Madrid

Casemiro's Madrid debut: “Mourinho summoned me to his room...”

Brazil

Neymar explodes: “They took me out of the game...”

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.