Atletico Paranaense · CONMEBOL Libertadores · Goalkeeper · #23 · Brazil · 35 yrs
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti addressed the controversy surrounding Neymar's injury, confirming the staff knew about the issue before announcing the World Cup roster. While the muscle injury sidelining Neymar was only made public a few days ago, Brazil national team manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that the staff was already aware of the physical issue when naming the roster for the 2026 World Cup. Ancelotti noted that Santos had communicated a medical report prior to the announcement, though the initial assessment was not entirely accurate. “The report stated the player had a minor issue, an edema, and we allowed them to manage the situation until May 27,” Ancelotti explained during a press conference. “The player was called up with the full conviction that he needed to be included. After the 27th, we took charge of Neymar’s recovery, and we continue to do so”. The Italian manager dismissed rumors that the Seleção might drop the Santos star from the official squad, emphasizing that the medical team is working to get him fit as quickly as possible. Finally, the Italian tactician made it clear that the 26 players he called up are the ones traveling to North America, and the staff will wait for Neymar to recover. “The 26 players I chose are the ones who will play in the World Cup,” Ancelotti concluded. “Unfortunately, Neymar has this small issue preventing him from training with the group, but he is working very well individually to recover soon”. Neymar announced as part of Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad. (Getty Images) Sidelined for pre-World Cup friendlies Ancelotti’s comments confirm that Neymar will be unavailable for Brazil’s upcoming warm-up matches ahead of the tournament. The forward will sit out Sunday’s friendly against Panama, as well as the final tune-up match against Egypt on Saturday, June 6. Timeline for Neymar’s recovery With Ancelotti clarifying the situation, Neymar’s projected 14-to-21-day recovery timeline began well before the injury was officially disclosed to the public. Because of this head start on his rehabilitation, the coaching staff has not ruled him out for Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on Saturday, June 13, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. If he is not at 100% for the opener, Ancelotti and the coaching staff expect to have him available for the second Group stage match against Haiti on Friday, June 19, in Philadelphia.
With Carlo Ancelotti preparing the Selecao for the tournament in North America, attention has quickly shifted toward the fitness of the country’s biggest star. Neymar’s road to the 2026 World Cup has taken another tense turn after fresh concerns emerged regarding his physical condition ahead of Brazil’s final preparation matches. With Carlo Ancelotti preparing the Selecao for the tournament in North America, attention has quickly shifted toward the fitness of the country’s biggest star. The Santos forward once again finds himself at the center of debate after another injury scare interrupted his momentum. Although Neymar has publicly tried to calm fears, growing uncertainty behind the scenes has raised fresh questions about how Brazil will manage him in the final days before the World Cup begins. The latest concern arrived after Neymar suffered swelling in his right calf during Santos’ 3-0 defeat against Coritiba. The 34-year-old had already been carefully managing his workload following his long recovery from the ACL injury suffered in October 2023 while playing for Brazil. Initial optimism from Santos suggested the issue was minor. However, reports later indicated the swelling was more serious than originally expected, forcing Brazil’s medical staff to begin closely monitoring the situation before the national team training camp opened. Neymar of Santos. Brazil takes more cautious approach Although Neymar has projected confidence publicly, Brazil’s coaching staff is approaching the situation far more carefully. Carlo Ancelotti and the medical department are determined to avoid taking unnecessary risks with the team’s all-time leading scorer. ESPN previously revealed that Neymar would follow a specialized recovery and training program at Granja Comary. The objective is to gradually reintegrate him into full activity without aggravating the calf problem before the tournament begins. The concern is understandable considering the veteran’s difficult recent history with injuries. Since tearing his ACL in 2023, the Santos forward has endured multiple setbacks that repeatedly delayed his return to full rhythm. Eles estão na área! Nossos craques já se encontram na Granja Comary para início da preparação para a Copa do Mundo de 2026. 🇧🇷🔥⚽️#BateNoPeito pic.twitter.com/zKcfvMKMTu— brasil (@CBF_Futebol) May 27, 2026 Still, Ancelotti showed major faith in the veteran attacker by including him in Brazil’s final 26-man World Cup squad. The Italian coach had previously insisted he would only call up fully fit players, making Neymar’s selection a significant statement ahead of the competition. Will Neymar be available? As preparations continue, reports have now revealed that Neymar is at serious risk of missing Brazil’s warm-up friendlies against Panama and Egypt before the World Cup officially begins. The Green-Yellow is scheduled to face Panama on May 31 at the Maracana before taking on Egypt on June 5 in Cleveland. Those matches were expected to help Neymar regain rhythm with the national team after such a long international absence. Neymar Jr. of Brazil celebrates after scoring. However, behind-the-scenes information reportedly suggests the calf edema remains problematic enough that the Santos star may continue treatment instead of participating fully in the matches. The situation has reportedly created internal concern within the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). According to Globo, Santos initially informed the federation that the player would be cleared for ball training immediately upon arrival at camp, but later medical assessments suggested a more cautious recovery process would be necessary. That conflicting information reportedly caused discomfort within the federation as officials waited for additional medical evaluations.
Santos will play against Deportivo Cuenca on Matchday 6 of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana group stage. Viewers in the United States can watch the matchup live—here’s all the essential information on kickoff time and broadcast or streaming options. Here are all of the details of where you can watch Santos vs Deportivo Cuenca on US television and via legal streaming: WHO Santos vs Deportivo Cuenca WHAT Copa Libertadores WHEN 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT • Tuesday, May 26, 2026 WHERE Fubo, Fanatiz and beIN SPORTS CONNECT STREAM WATCH NOW Match Overview The final Matchday in Group D of the Copa Sudamericana promises major drama, with all four teams still alive in the race to advance. Deportivo Cuenca can still fight for first place with a win and some help elsewhere. Meanwhile, Santos sit bottom of the table with four points but remains in contention for second place depending on the result between San Lorenzo and Recoleta FC. With so much at stake, this matchup is shaping up to be a must-watch showdown. More details on how to watch With Fubo, you can watch Santos vs Deportivo Cuenca and tons more games. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, Apple TV or hook it up to your TV with Google Chromecast. Now with Fubo, you can stream USA Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, beIN SPORTS XTRA, NBC, CNBC, USA, FOX, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes, Universo, Telemundo and Galavision. Plus Fubo, the legal streaming service, also streams Liga MX, World Cup, Women’s World Cup, MLS, UEFA Champions League (in Spanish), Europa League (in Spanish), Primeira Liga, Ligue Un, World Cup qualifiers, NWSL, select USMNT games, select USWNT games, select Mexico games, select England games and more. The Fubo app is available for Windows PC, Mac, Apple iPhones, Android phones, Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense TVs, iOS devices, LG TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio Smartcast TVs and Xbox One. If you’re planning to follow more games on this platform, you can check out the full Fubo soccer schedule to stay up to date with upcoming matches available via the service. How to watch anywhere with VPN If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out World Soccer Talk’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.
