Brazil vs. Japan: Will Neymar feature in the World Cup last-32 clash

Neymar made his 2026 World Cup debut for Brazil against Scotland in their 3-0 win.

After missing the matches against Morocco and Haiti, the fig 10 was connected the transportation for the last 15 minutes against the Scots past Wednesday, June 24.

Carlo Ancelotti's broadside volition present look Japan successful the past 32 adjacent Monday, June 29 astatine 6pm UK clip astatine the Houston Stadium.

Will Neymar play against Japan?

The Brazilian guardant looked afloat recovered from injury, comfy connected the transportation against Scotland, has continued to bid usually with the squad successful caller days, and could beryllium fixed different accidental against the Japanese, this clip successful a knockout context.

Following the team's confirmed qualification, manager Carlo Ancelotti praised Neymar's show and commitment, making it wide helium is counting connected the fig 10 for the decisive moments.

Ancelotti said aft the triumph implicit Scotland: 'He had his opportunity. He deserved to play, helium worked good successful training, and helium showed professionalism. He tin assistance the squad astatine this World Cup, and I deliberation helium played good successful those fewer minutes.'

The expectation, however, is that Neymar volition erstwhile again beryllium connected the seat and volition travel connected successful the 2nd half, depending connected the discourse of the match. On apical of that, Ancelotti gave Neymar a relation that had been anticipated, with the prima coming connected for Matheus Cunha and operating successful a cardinal and much precocious country than helium is utilized to, astir arsenic a mendacious nine.

Neymar's wounded that derailed Brazil's plans astatine the World Cup

On the eve of the last World Cup squad enactment for North America, Neymar felt symptom successful his calf and was substituted.

Although Santos played down the issue, diagnosing it lone arsenic 'oedema' that would not endanger his spot astatine the World Cup, the 34-year-old playmaker was sidelined for the club's adjacent 4 matches. When helium reported for the nationalist squad connected May 27, scans requested by the CBF revealed a much superior musculus wounded than expected.

Neymar made his archetypal quality nether Ancelotti precisely against Scotland. Prior to that, his past crippled for Brazil had been successful October 2023.

On that occasion, Brazil mislaid 2-0 to Uruguay distant from location successful qualifying, and the guardant near the tract with a superior genu injury, which kept him retired of enactment for a agelong play and considerably disrupted his spell astatine Al-Hilal.

At this moment, the anticipation is that the prima volition summation much minutes and go much unchangeable physically arsenic the World Cup goes on.