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Neymar Injury Casts Doubt on Brazil's World Cup Opener
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Sports

Neymar Injury Casts Doubt on Brazil's World Cup Opener

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Brazil's star forward Neymar is sidelined with a calf injury, casting doubt on his availability for the World Cup opening match.
  • The injury requires two to three weeks of recovery, meaning Neymar will likely miss warm-up games and potentially the first World Cup fixture.
  • This setback adds pressure to Brazil's squad, especially as Neymar had only recently returned to the national team after a three-year absence.

Brazil's World Cup hopes have been dealt a significant blow as star striker Neymar has been diagnosed with a calf injury, potentially sidelining him for the tournament's opening match. The injury is expected to keep the 34-year-old forward out of action for at least two to three weeks.

Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed the severity of the injury after an MRI scan revealed a grade two muscle tear. Neymar is now in doubt for Brazil's pre-World Cup warm-up matches against Panama and Egypt, and his fitness for the June 13 opener against Morocco remains uncertain. This development places additional pressure on the Brazilian squad.

The situation is particularly concerning given Neymar's recent return to the national team. He had been sidelined for nearly three years before being called up again. Coach Carlo Ancelotti had previously expressed caution regarding Neymar's fitness, opting not to include him in friendlies against France and Croatia in March.

Neymar has also faced recurring injury issues with his club, Santos, this season. Despite these concerns, his influence on the national team remains undeniable. He is Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 international appearances. If he recovers in time, this World Cup would mark Neymar's fourth appearance in the prestigious tournament.

The recovery period is estimated to be around two to three weeks, and we will continue to monitor his progress from time to time.

— Rodrigo LasmarExplaining the diagnosis and expected recovery timeline for Neymar's calf injury.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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