Neymar suffers calf injury with Santos but expected to be fit in time to join Brazil squad

[p]The 34-year-old, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a]'s ‌all-time leading scorer, was named in the squad ‌on Monday, marking his return after a prolonged injury ‌layoff that kept him out for much of ‌the qualifying campaign, as Brazil chase a record-extending sixth title.[/p][p]Much of the build-up to the squad announcement centred on ‌coach Carlo Ancelotti's decision over whether ⁠to include [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neymar/jNOPwl3h/"]Neymar[/a].[/p][p]The Italian, ‌who took charge of Brazil last year, had not ​previously recalled the former Barcelona and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris St Germain[/a] attacker, who now plays for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/santos/n3QdnjFB/"]Santos[/a] ​and is set to feature at his fourth World Cup in pursuit of his first world title.[/p][p][b]"Neymar ⁠has a minor ​calf injury, an oedema," Santos' head of medical services Rodrigo Zogaib told Brazil's [i]ge.globo [/i]on Wednesday. "But, according to our planning, his progress will allow him to ‌be fit next week when he will join up with the national team."[/b][/p][embed guid="504b925c-7c48-4623-b487-84844aabe21d" url="https://x.com/sporttvportugal/status/2057398568936231082" social-type="twitter" /][p]Neymar, who has 79 goals in 128 internationals and has not featured for Brazil since 2023, continues to face scrutiny over his fitness and form.[/p][p]His stint at Saudi club Al Hilal was disrupted by injuries, and he returned to boyhood club Santos last year but has struggled to ‌recapture his form.[/p][p]Neymar missed Santos' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/san-lorenzo-ju1xJoJd/santos-n3QdnjFB/?mid=OfjrE6Z8"]2-2[/a] home draw ​with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-lorenzo/ju1xJoJd/"]San Lorenzo[/a] in the Copa Sudamericana on ‌Wednesday.[/p][p]Brazil open their World Cup campaign against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] on June 13th in New Jersey, before facing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/haiti/nk4v10Z1/"]Haiti[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a] in Group C.[/p][p]They are scheduled to play warm-up matches against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/panama/OWKqbCfi/"]Panama[/a] on May ⁠31st and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] ⁠in the lead-up to ‌the tournament.[/p]