On June 9, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) issued a statement confirming that Neymar had passed his medical examination, keeping him in the squad to play at the 2026 World Cup. His calf injury “is progressing very well”.
Treated with the most modern equipment, Neymar did not play in the friendly match where the Brazil national team won 2-1 against Egypt on June 7 in Ohio. He stayed in New Jersey, the Selecao’s base camp, to continue his injury recovery process using the modern medical equipment that the CBF brought to the US. Neymar has been training diligently in the gym, and later on the pitch, due to a grade 2 calf injury.
“This effort helped Neymar pass the latest examination on June 9, showing that his treatment process is progressing well and he is expected to recover soon. He will continue to follow the recovery preparation protocol set by the Brazilian national team’s medical department,” the CBF statement on June 9 said.
The above announcement also officially guarantees Neymar will feature for the Brazil national team at the 2026 World Cup. But his teammate Wesley was not so lucky. The full-back and coach Ancelotti’s number one choice in the Selecao’s starting lineup had to bid farewell to the tournament due to a left adductor muscle injury sustained in the match against Egypt. With this injury, it is expected to take up to 40 days for Wesley to return to the pitch.
Coach Ancelotti caused a surprise by calling up midfielder Ederson, the player about to join Manchester United from Atalanta, as a replacement, instead of calling up a full-back to take Wesley’s position. This also means that at the 2026 World Cup, the Brazil national team will have to rely on veterans for the left-back position, including Danilo (34 years old) or Alex Sandro (35 years old), alongside Douglas Santos, who is also 32.
According to the Brazilian press, the reason coach Ancelotti called up a midfielder rather than a full-back to replace Wesley is because Ederson impresses with his solid physical foundation, technique, and ability to take on various roles. Coach Ancelotti also wants more balance in the midfield area, where only 5 players were called up.
