Advertisement
  1. News
  2. Sports
  3. Football
  4. Why is Neymar Jr. not playing for Brazil against Morocco in FIFA World Cup 2026 clash?

Why is Neymar Jr. not playing for Brazil against Morocco in FIFA World Cup 2026 clash?

Published: ,Updated:

With Brazil taking on Morocco to kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, let us have a look at why veteran forward Neymar Jr. is not playing for Brazil in their first game of the tournament at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

Neymar Jr.
Neymar Jr. Image Source : AP
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.:

One of the most looked-forward-to games of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is here: Brazil takes on Morocco at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 14th. The two sides will hope to put in a good showing in the clash, but with the playing XIs revealed, many fans would be wondering why ace forward Neymar Jr. is not featuring for Brazil in the clash. 

It is worth noting that while the ecstasy that followed Neymar’s inclusion in Brazil’s FIFA World Cup squad also came with a lot of complications. Notably, Neymar suffered a calf injury leading up to the game, which has seen him ruled out for the clash. 

Brazil’s head coach, Carlos Ancelotti, had come forward and revealed that Neymar is working hard to get back to full fitness and expressed his confidence over the fact that the veteran could be available for selection for their last two games of the tournament’s group stage. 

"He's working hard to get fit as quickly as possible. We hope he can return to full training next week,” Ancelotti was quoted as saying by NDTV. 

Also Read: Shubman Gill takes India over the line, register brilliant win against Afghanistan in Dharamsala

Ancelotti gave his take on Brazil’s squad composition

With the tournament kicking off for Brazil, head coach Ancelotti had come forward and hailed the quality that his side possesses, claiming that the squad quality helps them compete at the highest level with any team across world football. 

"This is a team which can compete with anyone. We can face up to any team. We have technical quality and experience, and we are absolutely confident we can face up to any team. We have a good feeling about this World Cup. We're ready and prepared. At this point, there is no clear favourite for the World Cup. Several teams will have the opportunity to compete all the way to the end,” he said. 

Interestingly, Brazil will be taking on Haiti after their clash against Morocco and will follow it up with a clash against Scotland on June 24, which will conclude their group stage campaign. 

Also Read:

Read all the Breaking News Live on indiatvnews.com and Get Latest English News & Updates from Sports and Football Section
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
 
\