This is a huge setback for Brazil just before the World Cup. Star player Neymar is almost certain to miss the start of the tournament because of an injury. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has officially confirmed that Neymar has a Grade 2 calf injury.
Just as the World Cup is around the corner, the Brazil camp has been hit with some really bad news. Their star player, Neymar, is likely to be out for the start of the tournament due to an injury.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has made it official: Neymar has a Grade 2 calf injury. This means he will be off the field for at least two to three weeks. Brazil's team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, said that an MRI scan revealed the full extent of the injury.
At first, they thought it was just simple swelling, or edema. But the tests later showed a partial tear in his calf muscle. Neymar picked up this injury while playing for Santos back on May 17.
Ever since he got injured during that club match, there has been a lot of worry about Neymar's fitness. Now, with the official announcement, it's clear he won't be playing in Brazil's next two friendly matches against Panama and Egypt.
But the biggest blow is that Brazil's star player will probably miss the first match of the World Cup as well. Brazil is set to kick off their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
But the chances of Neymar playing in that match are almost zero. For context, Brazil's other two group matches are against Haiti on June 20 and Scotland on June 25. This means coach Carlo Ancelotti will be without Neymar for what is arguably the toughest match in their group.
Recovering from a Grade 2 calf injury is tough
Neymar is still one of the most important and experienced players in Brazil's attack. However, his tendency to get injured again and again is raising fresh questions about his fitness. This injury, right before the World Cup, has added to the worries of Brazil coach Dorival Júnior. The Brazilian football body has said that a special rehab and physiotherapy program has started for Neymar.
Doctors are carefully monitoring his recovery because if you rush back from a Grade 2 calf injury, there's a high risk of getting injured again. The Brazil camp is hopeful he will be back in 2-3 weeks, but there's still a lot of uncertainty about him playing in the opening matches.
As you can imagine, Brazilian fans are very disappointed with this news. At the same time, the pressure is now on the other forwards in the team.
Neymar's Replacement
With Neymar likely to be absent, Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti has already started making backup plans. There's a lot of speculation that he has already shortlisted a few players as potential replacements for Neymar.
According to reports in the Brazilian media, Ancelotti's list includes João Pedro, Antony, Andreas Pereira, Estevão, Richarlison, and Savinho. One of these players might get a chance to be in the World Cup squad.
