Carlo Ancelotti has steered that Neymar might “stroll for 90 minutes” if Brazil’s report scorer performs for the Selecao for the primary time since October 2023 when the report five-time champions face Scotland on Wednesday.
Regardless of being an icon in his homeland, Neymar’s inclusion in his nation’s squad for the finals was a major shock after a prolonged worldwide exile due to a knee operation and subsequent accidents and health points, together with a calf tear that has saved the 34-year-old out of Brazil’s first two group stage matches.
“He can play,” head coach Ancelotti mentioned earlier than Brazil try and win Group C. “He’s nice. Neymar is obtainable. I can stroll for 90 minutes. He educated very properly.
“He’s labored very onerous, with nice seriousness, making an attempt to get better as quickly as potential. I’m very pleased with him. Neymar’s perspective over these previous few days has been excellent.”
World Cup 2026: How Neymar might affect Brazil vs Scotland
Ancelotti left Neymar out of a squad as just lately as March and the costliest footballer in historical past had a knee process in April in an try and be match for the finals.
The previous Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona striker had performed 682 minutes for membership facet Santos in 2026 earlier than he suffered his newest damage in late Might, however Ancelotti says Neymar’s affect off the pitch has additionally been vital.
“He is aware of his teammates very properly,” defined Ancelotti. “If he doesn’t play, he helps along with his expertise, his data of the sport. He helps the youthful gamers.”
Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha have scored twice every throughout Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco and subsequent 3-0 win over Haiti, and Neymar’s return may very well be well timed after ahead Raphinha suffered a hamstring damage in opposition to the Grenadiers.
“[Neymar] ready properly for the sport so he can play with the opposite gamers,” mentioned Ancelotti. “Along with his high quality, he may help the crew.”
Is Neymar taking part in within the World Cup 2026? Brazil fixtures
Right here’s how Brazil’s preliminary schedule seems to be and their subsequent potential fixtures, in addition to the UK TV channel.
Asterisk denotes match beginning the day prior to this in specified territory.
| Date | Match | End result | Stage | Time (BST) | ET | PT | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 13 | Morocco | 1-1 | Group | 23:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 | BBC |
| June 20 | Haiti | 3-0 | Group | 01:30 | 20:30* | 17:30* | ITV |
| June 24 | Scotland | Group | 23:00 | 18:00* | 15:00* | BBC | |
| June 29/30 | TBC | Spherical of 32 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 4/5 | TBC | Spherical of 16 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 9/11 | TBC | Quarter-finals | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 14/15 | TBC | Semi-finals | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 18 | TBC | Third-placed match | 22:00 | 17:00 | 12:00 | TBC | |
| July 19 | TBC | Last | 20:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | BBC, ITV |
Neymar World Cup stats
The 2021 Copa America Finest Participant has 128 caps and broke Pele’s report by scoring the 78th of his 79 worldwide objectives throughout Brazil’s World Cup qualifier in opposition to Bolivia in September 2023, however ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in opposition to Uruguay the next month.
After lacking two video games on the 2022 World Cup with an ankle damage, Neymar produced two objectives and one assists however was a part of a crew knocked out by Croatia within the quarter-finals.
The consequence ensured he has by no means performed past the final eight of the match, having been ever-present and contributed two objectives and two assists earlier than Brazil had been knocked out at that stage by Belgium in 2018.
At his first World Cup in 2014, Neymar completed on 4 objectives and one help in 5 video games however missed Brazil’s 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany and 3-0 third-placed match loss to the Netherlands by damage.
World Cup 2026: Who might Brazil change Neymar with?
Ancelotti gave a World Cup debut to Endrick, who contributed 5 objectives and 7 assists in 16 appearances in Ligue 1 final season for Lyon on mortgage from Actual Madrid, when the 19-year-old changed Cunha within the sixty fourth minute in opposition to Haiti.
“I discover that the followers are actually rooting for Endrick, however 1782301995 we even have Neymar,” mentioned the Italian. “So will the followers be undecided between Endrick or Neymar? I believe they’ll assist each of them.”
Brazil are among the many favourites to win the World Cup and Ancelotti will not be wanting ahead choices who’ve been prolific throughout Europe since Neymar final performed commonly.
Gabriel Martinelli received the 2025/26 Premier League with Arsenal, Igor Thiago scored 22 instances for Brentford to complete because the second-top scorer in final season’s English high flight and Cunha netted 9 instances in his closing 21 appearances of the season for Manchester United.
Newcomer Rayan, 19, seems poised to supplant Raphinha and netted in three consecutive video games throughout April and Might to assist Bournemouth qualify for Europe for the primary time – a scoring sequence Luiz Henrique repeated for Zenit within the Russian Premier League.
Raphinha had an injury-strewn season however scored 13 instances in 22 La Liga video games for Barcelona, with Vinicius Junior matching that whole throughout the Spanish high flight and the Champions League for Madrid.
