Carlo Ancelotti has instructed that Neymar might “stroll for 90 minutes” if Brazil’s file scorer performs for the Selecao for the primary time since October 2023 when the file five-time champions face Scotland on Wednesday.
Regardless of being an icon in his homeland, Neymar’s inclusion in his nation’s squad for the finals was a major shock after a prolonged worldwide exile due to a knee operation and subsequent accidents and health points, together with a calf tear that has stored the 34-year-old out of Brazil’s first two group stage matches.
“He can play,” head coach Ancelotti stated earlier than Brazil try to win Group C. “He’s positive. Neymar is offered. I can stroll for 90 minutes. He educated very effectively.
“He’s labored very onerous, with nice seriousness, attempting to get better as quickly as potential. I’m very pleased with him. Neymar’s angle over these previous few days has been superb.”
World Cup 2026: How Neymar might affect Brazil vs Scotland
Ancelotti left Neymar out of a squad as lately as March and the most expensive footballer in historical past had a knee process in April in an try to be match for the finals.
The previous Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona striker had performed 682 minutes for membership facet Santos in 2026 earlier than he suffered his newest harm in late Might, however Ancelotti says Neymar’s affect off the pitch has additionally been vital.
“He is aware of his teammates very effectively,” defined Ancelotti. “If he doesn’t play, he helps together with his expertise, his information of the sport. He helps the youthful gamers.”
Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha have scored twice every throughout Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco and subsequent 3-0 win over Haiti, and Neymar’s return could possibly be well timed after ahead Raphinha suffered a hamstring harm in opposition to the Grenadiers.
“[Neymar] ready effectively for the sport so he can play with the opposite gamers,” stated Ancelotti. “Along with his high quality, he can assist the staff.”
Is Neymar taking part in within the World Cup 2026? Brazil fixtures
Right here’s how Brazil’s preliminary schedule appears and their subsequent potential fixtures, in addition to the UK TV channel.
Asterisk denotes match beginning yesterday in specified territory.
| Date | Match | End result | Stage | Time (BST) | ET | PT | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 13 | Morocco | 1-1 | Group | 23:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 | BBC |
| June 20 | Haiti | 3-0 | Group | 01:30 | 20:30* | 17:30* | ITV |
| June 24 | Scotland | Group | 23:00 | 18:00* | 15:00* | BBC | |
| June 29/30 | TBC | Spherical of 32 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 4/5 | TBC | Spherical of 16 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 9/11 | TBC | Quarter-finals | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 14/15 | TBC | Semi-finals | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 18 | TBC | Third-placed match | 22:00 | 17:00 | 12:00 | TBC | |
| July 19 | TBC | Ultimate | 20:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | BBC, ITV |
Neymar World Cup stats
The 2021 Copa America Finest Participant has 128 caps and broke Pele’s file by scoring the 78th of his 79 worldwide targets throughout Brazil’s World Cup qualifier in opposition to Bolivia in September 2023, however ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in opposition to Uruguay the next month.
After lacking two video games on the 2022 World Cup with an ankle harm, Neymar produced two targets and one assists however was a part of a staff knocked out by Croatia within the quarter-finals.
The outcome ensured he has by no means performed past the final eight of the event, having been ever-present and contributed two targets and two assists earlier than Brazil have been knocked out at that stage by Belgium in 2018.
At his first World Cup in 2014, Neymar completed on 4 targets and one help in 5 video games however missed Brazil’s 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany and 3-0 third-placed match loss to the Netherlands by means of harm.
World Cup 2026: Who might Brazil substitute Neymar with?
Ancelotti gave a World Cup debut to Endrick, who contributed 5 targets and 7 assists in 16 appearances in Ligue 1 final season for Lyon on mortgage from Actual Madrid, when the 19-year-old changed Cunha within the sixty fourth minute in opposition to Haiti.
“I discover that the followers are actually rooting for Endrick, however 1782302037 we even have Neymar,” stated the Italian. “So will the followers be undecided between Endrick or Neymar? I feel they’ll help each of them.”
Brazil are among the many favourites to win the World Cup and Ancelotti isn’t in need of ahead choices who’ve been prolific throughout Europe since Neymar final performed usually.
Gabriel Martinelli gained the 2025/26 Premier League with Arsenal, Igor Thiago scored 22 occasions for Brentford to complete because the second-top scorer in final season’s English high flight and Cunha netted 9 occasions in his remaining 21 appearances of the season for Manchester United.
Newcomer Rayan, 19, seems poised to supplant Raphinha and netted in three consecutive video games throughout April and Might to assist Bournemouth qualify for Europe for the primary time – a scoring sequence Luiz Henrique repeated for Zenit within the Russian Premier League.
Raphinha had an injury-strewn season however scored 13 occasions in 22 La Liga video games for Barcelona, with Vinicius Junior matching that whole throughout the Spanish high flight and the Champions League for Madrid.
