MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Neymar has arrived as part of the Brazilian national team. world cup Wednesday’s match against Scotland was another sign that the superstar forward is likely to make his debut in this competition. missed the first two games.
The squad for Brazil will be announced later on Wednesday.
Neymar was one of the last players off the Brazilian bus, giving a thumbs up and waving and clapping with several Brazilian well-wishers as he made his way inside the stadium and into the team’s locker room.
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti did not confirm Neymar’s availability on Tuesday, saying: “He is available. He has been training very well this week.” vs Scotland. “He is healthy, capable and ready to play. We are very happy to have him back. He is a quality player.”
Neymar has been suffering from a right calf injury and has missed all games for more than a month. He practiced with the Brazilian national team on Sunday and was confident he would finally be able to play.
Neymar is Brazil’s top career scorer with 79 goals in 129 appearances for his country. The 34-year-old forward has played in the last three World Cups for Brazil, scoring eight goals.
His role, and whether he even fits the team at all, has been a hot topic of discussion among Brazilian fanatics for some time. Neymar continues to struggle even after his return Tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the left knee He played in the World Cup qualifiers in October 2023 and has scored four goals in eight games for Brazilian club Santos this season.
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AP Sports Writer Alanis Thames in Miami Gardens, Florida, contributed to this report.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
