Philadelphia, June 20 (IANS) Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Neymar will be available for the Seleção’s decisive Group C clash against Scotland, providing a major boost to the five-time world champions as they chase a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stages.

The 34-year-old forward has not played in the tournament after injuring his right calf while playing for Santos on May 17. Neymar missed Brazil’s opening 1-1 draw against Morocco and stayed out for Saturday’s convincing 3-0 win over Haiti in Philadelphia. However, Ancelotti shared after the victory that the veteran attacker is getting close to returning.

“Neymar will be training tomorrow alone, and on Monday with the team. He will be available for the match against Scotland,” Ancelotti said.

Neymar has not participated in a full training session with Brazil since joining the World Cup squad. Instead, he has been following an individual rehabilitation program after undergoing medical assessments earlier this week. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star was named among the substitutes for Brazil’s opener against Morocco but did not play. The team confirmed before the Haiti match that he would stay in New Jersey to continue recovering from a grade-two calf strain that was initially expected to keep him out for up to three weeks.

His return comes at a crucial time for Brazil, especially after winger Raphinha had to leave during the first half against Haiti with a suspected hamstring injury. The Barcelona forward will undergo further examinations, with Ancelotti admitting there is uncertainty about how serious the injury is.

“We need to evaluate him. We don’t know the severity yet,” Ancelotti said.

The potential loss of Raphinha has made Neymar’s comeback even more important, as Brazil may need their most experienced attacking player for a match that could decide their advancement to the knockout rounds.

Brazil responded strongly to criticism after their draw with Morocco, defeating Haiti 3-0 thanks to two goals from Matheus Cunha and one from Vinicius Junior. This victory boosted the Seleção’s chances of advancing from Group C and eased some pressure on the team.

Neymar’s return would also provide a significant emotional boost. Brazil’s all-time leading scorer has netted 79 goals in 129 international matches and is participating in what could be his fourth and final World Cup.

With qualification still hanging in the balance and questions surrounding Raphinha’s fitness, all eyes will now be on Neymar as he prepares to make his long-awaited return when Brazil take on Scotland in Miami Gardens on Wednesday.

–IANS

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