Neymar given 15 days to prove fitness for Brazil’s World Cup bid | OneFootball

Neymar remains in Brazil’s squad despite a calf injury, but has 15 days to get fit or he will miss the World Cup.

According to L'Équipe, an MRI showed a grade-two lesion and a two to three week recovery, ruling him out against Panama and Egypt on seven June.

He was hurt in Santos’ 0-3 home loss to Coritiba on 17 May, initially downplayed as simple oedema with a one week timeline.

Neymar has not played for the Seleção since October 2023 after rupturing a knee ligament against Uruguay. If he meets the timeframe, he could feature in Brazil’s opener with Morocco on 13 June.

Otherwise the CBF can swap him out up to 24 hours before the first match, with Chelsea striker Joao Pedro in line to step in.

The scare has revived memories of 1998, when Romario’s calf problem saw him dropped eight days before the World Cup by Mario Zagallo and Zico. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti, unhappy with a lack of transparency from Santos’ medics, will still allow extra time with staff including long-time physio Ricardo Rosa, then decide and could yet send the player home.

Source: L'Équipe