New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Neymar underwent fresh exams on Monday to evaluate his recovery from a grade two calf strain in his right leg and is unlikely to play against Haiti in Brazil’s second Group C game on Friday, according to Brazilian media reports.

The 34-year-old forward, who has been struggling with a calf injury, is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 international appearances and has not played for the national team since suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in October 2023. He has since suffered a series of injuries, the latest of which is a calf strain that keep him out of Brazil’s opening match against Morocco on on Sunday (IST).

Neymar could play at a fourth World Cup, having also represented Brazil at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

According to Brazilian newspaper O Globo, Neymar underwent new imaging tests to assess the progress of his injury, which is satisfactory but not enough to allow him to move on to the next stage of the recovery process.

The report further claimed that Neymar is still under the care of the medical department and is doing supplementary weight training, but he still needs to reach the stage of physical conditioning on the field before he is able to train with the ball alongside the other players.

Last week, the CBF issued the update after Neymar underwent an MRI scan to assess his recovery from a grade two calf strain in his right leg. It said the 34-year-old’s recuperation was “within the expected parameters”, adding that he would continue receiving treatment as part of a tailored program.

Brazil’s remaining World Cup Group C matches are against Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday and Scotland in Miami on June 24.

–IANS

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