Brazil will miss the services of their leading international goal-scorer Neymar in FIFA World Cup 2026 opener vs Morocco in New York on Saturday.
Updated: June 13, 2026, 12:23 PM IST
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Neymar has been ruled out of Brazil’s opening match of FIFA World Cup 2026 vs Morocco. (Image: AI)
Brazil vs Morocco FIFA World Cup 2026: Five-time world champions Brazil have suffered a major blow with their star striker Neymar Jr ruled out of their opening Group C match of FIFA World Cup 2026 against Morocco at the MetLife Stadium in New York on Saturday. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti reveals that Neymar Jr could be sidelined for the entire group stages till June 24 as he attempts to recover from a calf injury.
Neymar’s last match for Brazil came almost 3 years back against Uruguay in a World Cup qualifying fixture in Montevideo which the Selecao had won 2-0 on October 17, 2023. Speaking before Saturday’s match against the World Cup 2022 semi-finalists Morocco in New Jersey, Ancelotti revealed that Neymar is making progress but not ‘ready’ to return yet.
“He is working hard to be fit again as quickly as possible. We hope he can return to full training next week,” Ancelotti told the media in New York on Friday.
Unstoppable Samba energy. Neymar. 2014. ⚽#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/yxDpQErhxL
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 12, 2026
Will Neymar play in FIFA World Cup 2026
Brazil will take on Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24 in Group C. But coach Ancelotti did not guarantee the former Barcelona striker’s availability for either of those two matches.
The 34-year-old Santos striker missed the training session again on Friday and has not played since being unexpectedly called up by Ancelotti. Neymar also missed Brazil’s warm-up matches against Panama and Egypt as he continued his recovery from the calf injury.
Ancelotti explained to the world media, why he decided to include Neymar in his World Cup plans. “He can be a good example for the younger players in our squad,” the Brazil head coach said.
Ancelotti, who is the first non-Brazilian manager to lead the five-time world champions, believes Neymar’s influence goes beyond his on-field performance. The Brazil manager also felt that Neymar’s immense experience was valuable for a squad aiming for a record-extending sixth World Cup title.
Brazil and Read Madrid star Vinícius Júnior also expressed his admiration for Neymar and hoped to play alongside him soon. “He inspires me. I wish him a speedy recovery and I am looking forward to him finally being back on the pitch,” Vinícius said.
Morocco, on the other hand, insisted that Neymar’s absence will not change their preparations for the tournament opener. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi stated that his team had prepared for both situations. “We prepared for a match with and without Neymar. Nothing changes for us,” the 49-year-old Ouahbi said.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi admitted he was disappointed at the chance of not facing one of the legends of the game. “I want to play against the best players, and Neymar is among the best,” said the PSG defender Hakimi.
Neymar is the all-time leading goal-scorer for Brazil in international football with 79 goals in 128 matches after surpassing the legendary Pele’s record of 77 goals in September 2023. He has scored 8 goals in World Cup matches from in 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions. He also led Brazil to their first-ever Olympics gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
