Brazil superstar Neymar won't make his 2026 World Cup debut against Haiti on Friday, the Brazilian Football Confederation announced Thursday.
Neymar also missed Brazil's 1-1 opening draw with Morocco last week while dealing with a calf injury. He hurt himself during a Santos game May 17 and hasn't played since.
The 34-year-old returned to practice Tuesday as a limited participant. Brazil said Thursday that its all-time leading goalscorer is entering the final stages of his recovery but won't travel with the team to Philadelphia for the matchup versus Haiti.
Neymar, who's participating in his fourth World Cup, could return when Brazil plays its Group C finale against Scotland on June 24. Local media reports indicate that he's expected to be a full participant in practice again as early as Sunday.
The oft-injured Neymar hasn't played for Brazil since suffering a torn ACL and meniscus during a World Cup qualifying match in October 2023. He scored six goals and recorded four assists in 15 games for Santos this season.
