Neymar out of Brazil friendlies and set to miss World Cup opener

Neymar has been ruled out of Brazil’s upcoming friendlies and is set to miss their World Cup opener after scans revealed a grade-two calf injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Thursday.

CBF doctor Rodrigo Lasmar delivered the blow ahead of a players’ press conference, confirming the 34-year-old forward faces two to three more weeks on the sidelines.

“Neymar reported for duty yesterday here at Granja Comary, underwent all the medical tests, which concluded with an MRI scan revealing a grade-two calf injury, not just swelling. He is expected to be cleared in two to three weeks,” Lasmar said.

He did not say whether Neymar could be dropped from the squad.

He had joined the team on Tuesday but missed Wednesday’s first training session and was sent to a private clinic in Teresopolis for imaging tests after complaints of swelling in his right calf.

Neymar suffers calf injury but expected to join Brazil camp ahead of World Cup

According to Lasmar, the MRI showed not swelling, as previously reported, but a Grade 2 calf strain — a moderate injury involving a partial tear of the muscle fibers that requires rest and rehabilitation.

The diagnosis differs from that presented by Santos prior to the squad announcement. The club’s doctor Rodrigo Zogaib had stated the problem was merely swelling and that Neymar would arrive fit to begin training on Tuesday.

Instead, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer will miss Sunday’s friendly against Panama at the Maracana and the subsequent match against Egypt in Cleveland. He is also all but ruled out of Brazil’s World Cup opener against African champions Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey.

Brazil are in Group C also alongside Haiti and Scotland.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti had already been without defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos and forward Gabriel Martinelli for Sunday’s fixture due to their involvement in last weekend’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar’s recall last week had generated widespread excitement after he had not featured in Ancelotti’s plans during the Italian’s year in charge. The forward, who has scored 79 goals in 128 international appearances, has endured years of injury trouble and an underwhelming return to Santos.

In an interview with Reuters in early May, Ancelotti 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.

For now, Brazil must plan without him.