Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Brazil received a timely boost at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after Neymar resumed training on Tuesday (June 16), taking his first steps towards a return since the tournament began. The 34-year-old, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer in men’s international football, was seen working through an individual fitness programme in videos circulating on social media. While he has rejoined training, Neymar has not yet progressed to ball drills or full-contact sessions with the rest of the squad.
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The forward has not represented Brazil since 2023 and was unavailable for Selecao’s opening Group C fixture against Morocco on June 14. Without their talisman, Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw by the African side.
NEYMAR STILL EXPECTED TO MISS HAITI GAME
Although Neymar’s return to the training ground is an encouraging development, he is still expected to miss Brazil’s upcoming Group C clash against Haiti. The five-time world champions are scheduled to face Haiti on Saturday (June 20 IST) at 6:30 AM IST.
Haiti head into the contest after beginning their campaign with a narrow 1-0 loss to Scotland.
Neymar picked up a right calf injury last month shortly after being included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the World Cup. Before Brazil’s opener at New York New Jersey Stadium, Ancelotti had revealed that the veteran forward was making good progress in his recovery and was likely to return to training during the following week.
“Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible,” Ancelotti said on Friday.
“We called him up not only for his football ability, which is indisputable, but also for the experience and example he can provide to the younger players in the squad,” he added.
Neymar has scored eight goals across his three FIFA World Cup appearances, including four at the 2014 edition and two each at the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
