Neymar's World Cup place in balance with Brazil as star recovers from calf injury

[p]The ‌Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed the 34-year-old forward, who is recovering from an ‌injury in his right calf, did not take part in ‌the closed session at their facilities in Granja Comary and was ‌referred to a private clinic in Teresopolis for imaging tests.[/p][p]In ‌a statement, the CBF said "[b]no further information will be released until the Brazilian national team's medical staff have completed their assessments,[/b]" but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neymar/jNOPwl3h/"]Neymar[/a]'s ‌absence quickly became the dominant storyline on ⁠the second day of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a]'s ‌training camp for the 2026 World Cup.[/p][p]Brazil will hold three further sessions ​at Granja Comary before Sunday's friendly against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/panama/OWKqbCfi/"]Panama[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brazil-I9l9aqLq/panama-OWKqbCfi/?mid=4UXzDy1d"]at the Maracana.[/a][/p][p]Manager Carlo [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ancelotti-carlo/nZQG5IgJ/"]Ancelotti[/a] is already without three players ​for that fixture. Defenders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gabriel/tEcnVXMS/"]Gabriel Magalhaes[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquinhos/UFfev8HP/"]Marquinhos[/a], along with forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinelli/dITe5M88/"]Gabriel Martinelli[/a], are involved in Saturday's Champions League final ⁠between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris ​Saint-Germain[/a].[/p][p]Neymar's recall last week generated widespread excitement because he had not featured in Ancelotti's plans during the Italian's year in charge.[/p][embed guid="14d8874a-be5c-4374-b2fe-64947148c488" url="https://x.com/DAZNFootball/status/2059698650108850537?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, Neymar has ‌not played for his country since 2023. His return to the fold came amid scrutiny over his fitness and form following years of injury trouble and an underwhelming spell back at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/santos/n3QdnjFB/"]Santos[/a].[/p][p]The timing could hardly be more delicate. After facing Panama, Brazil meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] in Cleveland in their final friendly before opening their World Cup campaign against African champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] on June 13 in New Jersey. Brazil and Morocco have been drawn ‌in Group C alongside [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/haiti/nk4v10Z1/"]Haiti[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a].[/p][p]In an interview with ​Reuters in early May, Ancelotti made clear that reputation ‌alone would not secure Neymar's place.[/p][p]He said that Neymar would receive no special treatment and that his place in the squad would be strictly based on fitness and form, not sentiment.[/p][p]For now, Brazil wait on the medical verdict - and ⁠on whether their most ⁠recognisable name will be fit ‌to take centre stage next month.[/p]