TERESOPOLIS.- The selector of Brazil, Carlo Ancelottideclared this Saturday his confidence that the injured Neymar recover “as soon as possible”, although he acknowledged that the 34-year-old star could be absent in the World Cup debut against Morocco on June 13th.
The announcement of Neymar’s absence for a period of two to three weeks marked the beginning of Brazil’s concentration towards the World Cup on Wednesday, at the training complex of Comary Farmin Teresopoliscity near Rio de Janeiro.
“We think that he is going to recover as quickly as possible. He is working well, he is encouraged,” said the 66-year-old coach at a press conference.
After months of debate, Neymar – the Brazilian team’s all-time leading scorer, with 79 goals – was included in the Italian coach’s squad, but a muscle injury to his right calf has him struggling.
She will be out of the Scratch friendlies against Panama and Egypt and is in doubt for the World Cup debut against Morocco, in Group C, which completes Haiti and Scotland.
“If he can’t recover for the first game (of the World), he will recover for the second,” Ancelotti said.
Neymar played his last game with the green and yellow shirt in October 2023.
Brazil will face Panama on Sunday, at the stadium Maracanain Rio.
“All the players are going to play, because it is an important match to say goodbye to our players,” Ancelotti said.
The coach confirmed a possible starting eleven: Alisson in goal, the central duo Léo Pereira-Bremer, Wesley and Alex Sandro as laterals, Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes in the middle, and Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, Raphinha and Vinícius Junior on the offensive.
Brazil will travel on Monday to USA and will establish its base of operations in New Jersey. He will have a final test against Egypt on June 6 in Cleveland.
The Canarinha last won the World Cup in South Korea and Japan 2002.
The title depends on the “responsibility”
Ancelotti believes that the South American country’s quest for the sixth title will depend on “a shared responsibility” to manage the pressure generated by that long wait.
“We don’t have a Pelewe don’t have a Romariowe don’t have a Ronaldobut we can have a responsibility, which is very good,” he stressed with an eye on the tournament, which will be played from June 11 to July 19 in USA, Mexico and Canada.
