Brazilian national team coach Carlo Ancelotti said he expects Neymar to be ready to participate in the World Cup World Cup The opening despite his calf injury.
The Santos playmaker caused chaos in the Seleção’s preparations for the tournament this week after medical examinations revealed a strain in his calf.
The timing of the diagnosis sparked outrage across the Brazilian media, with the spotlight on why a player suffering from a muscle tear was given one of the coveted spots on the plane.
But Ancelotti shut down any talk of a late replacement and said the 34-year-old would feature in the group stage.
Ancelotti stated: “To be clear, Neymar will be with us. We believe he can recover in time for the first match (against Morocco on June 13), and if not, then in the second match (against Haiti).”
Ancelotti has faced some intense and uncomfortable questions about the perceived inconsistency in his selection policy.
Critics were quick to point out that Ancelotti had previously drawn a hard line, publicly stating that he would only select players who had completely cleared their fitness hurdles.
Countering his previous comments, the veteran manager clarified his position, admitting his explanation could have been clearer.
Ancelotti explained: “I talked about everyone being 100% physically fit in March, but perhaps I did not explain well that I could call up a player who was not 100% fit at that time, but who could be 100% fit in the World Cup.
“Neymar was chosen because he had to be chosen.”
