Brazil star Neymar will miss the national team's opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Morocco, head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed on Saturday. The Selecao begin their campaign on June 14 (Indian Standard Time) at MetLife Stadium in the first Group C game.
Neymar's Injury and Recovery
Speaking about Neymar's fitness, Ancelotti stated, as quoted by FotMob, "He's working hard to get fit as quickly as possible. We hope he can return to full training next week." Neymar had been doubtful for the opener due to a calf injury suffered during pre-tournament preparations, and he has now been ruled out for the match against Morocco.
Brazil's Group Stage Fixtures
Brazil will face Haiti on June 19 and conclude their group-stage campaign against Scotland on June 24. Ancelotti expressed confidence that Neymar could be available for both of those fixtures, provided his recovery progresses well.
Historical Context
Brazil and Morocco meet at the World Cup for only the second time. Their previous encounter was in the 1998 group stage, where Brazil secured a 3-0 victory. That match saw Ronaldo Nazario and Rivaldo score their first World Cup goals. Brazil has historically dominated African teams at the World Cup, winning seven of their eight matches, with the sole defeat coming against Cameroon in 2022 (1-0).
Top 10 Clash
The upcoming fixture is the only group-stage match featuring two teams currently ranked inside the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings. Brazil sits at sixth, while Morocco is ranked eighth. This adds extra significance to the encounter.
Ancelotti's Confidence
Ancelotti expressed optimism about Brazil's chances in the tournament. "This is a team which can compete with anyone," he added. "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 favorite for the World Cup. Several teams will have the opportunity to compete all the way to the end," the Brazil head coach concluded.
