Neymar races against time at World Cup as Yamal and Pulisic also battle fitness

Neymar is in a desperate race to prove his fitness at the 2026 World Cup after returning to only partial training with Brazil, with the 34-year-old still not expected to feature in their Group C match against Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday.

The forward sustained a grade two calf injury while playing for Santos in May, just three weeks before the tournament began. He missed Brazil’s opening 1-1 draw with Morocco and underwent tests on Monday to assess his recovery. Brazil will again be without their talisman as they seek a first win of the tournament, having looked short of attacking spark in that opener.

Lamine Yamal (Spain)

Spain’s 18-year-old star has made a significant step in his return after coming off the bench in the European champions’ goalless draw with Cape Verde. Yamal had been sidelined since 22 April with a left hamstring injury, but coach Luis de la Fuente declared him in “perfect condition” ahead of Sunday’s Group match against Saudi Arabia, raising the prospect of a first start of the tournament.

Fellow winger Nico Williams and Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino — both managing their own fitness concerns — also returned from the bench against Cape Verde, giving Spain an encouraging boost in depth.

Christian Pulisic (United States)

The USA’s standout player lit up the first half of a 4-1 win over Paraguay in Los Angeles before being withdrawn at half-time by coach Mauricio Pochettino with a calf problem. The knock is not believed to be serious.

“He received a kick in his calf and he felt tight at the end of the first half,” Pochettino said. “We didn’t want to take any risks. It was difficult for him to walk, but we hope that it is not a big issue and he can be ready for the next one.”

Pulisic himself was cautiously optimistic: “I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I’m really hoping that it’s nothing. Taking a little bit of precaution today.”

Other notable absences

Canada were without captain Alphonso Davies for their opening 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina. England have also suffered their first injury setback of the tournament, with Tino Livramento forced to withdraw from the squad entirely.