Neymar Jr. stepped onto the training pitch alone at Brazil’s World Cup camp on June 16, marking his first individual session since a grade 2 calf injury knocked him out of team preparations nearly a month ago.

The injury, sustained on May 17 during a match for Santos, has cast a long shadow over what many view as Neymar’s last realistic shot at World Cup glory. At 34, the window isn’t just closing. It’s practically shut.

The road back to the squad

Neymar missed Brazil’s opening training sessions on May 27-28 while undergoing medical evaluations. Since then, he’s been working through rehabilitation away from the main group.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has already confirmed that Neymar will not feature in Brazil’s opening World Cup match against Morocco.

A grade 2 muscle strain typically requires four to six weeks of recovery, which puts the timeline right on the edge of competitive availability as the tournament progresses.

Solo pitch training is a meaningful checkpoint in that process. It signals that Neymar has moved past the initial rehab phase, involving gym work and controlled movements, into football-specific activity. The next milestone would be integration into team training, followed by full contact sessions.

Ancelotti has expressed cautious optimism about the recovery timeline, though he’s been careful not to promise anything.

A career defined by comebacks, and setbacks

Neymar’s most devastating injury came in October 2023, when he tore his ACL and meniscus while playing for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier. That injury effectively wiped out an entire year of his career.

He hasn’t represented Brazil since that 2023 injury. Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 international goals has been absent from international football heading into this World Cup.

His return to Santos earlier in 2026 was supposed to be the redemption arc, but the calf injury sustained on May 17 interrupted those plans. The Brazilian Football Confederation decided against seeking a replacement for him in the squad, reflecting confidence in his eventual recovery.

What this means for the 2026 World Cup picture

Morocco proved at the 2022 World Cup that they’re no pushovers, reaching the semifinals in Qatar. Brazil faces them in the opening match without Neymar.

Ancelotti’s decision to retain Neymar reflects the team’s confidence in his potential contribution during critical knockout stage matches, should he regain fitness in time.