Neymar shows 'good progress' in recovery race to face Morocco at World Cup opener

Neymar’s hopes of featuring at a fourth World Cup have received a significant lift after the Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed he is making “good progress” in his recovery from a calf injury, with his next fitness milestone the opening group-stage match against Morocco on 13 June.

The 34-year-old suffered a grade two muscle tear last month, with initial assessments placing his recovery timeline at two to three weeks. A further scan on Monday returned encouraging results, prompting the CBF to state: “The exam showed good progress in his treatment, within expected parameters. He will continue the recovery and physical preparation process planned by the Brazilian National Team’s medical staff.”

Neymar has sat out both of Brazil’s pre-tournament friendlies — a 6-2 win against Panama and Saturday’s 2-1 victory against Egypt — and the clock is ticking on his availability for the group stage. Whether he will be fit to start or even feature from the bench against Morocco remains unclear, but the update offers genuine optimism after a turbulent few years on the injury front.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward, who returned to boyhood club Santos in early 2025, has been severely hampered by physical setbacks since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee during a Brazil match against Uruguay in October 2023. His path back to fitness has been long and at times uncertain.

Despite those concerns, Neymar earned his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for this summer’s tournament, edging out competition from the likes of Joao Pedro. He arrives in the United States with 79 goals in 128 international appearances, and a chance to add to his World Cup legacy having featured at the 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions — the first of which was played on home soil.