Neymar Out of World Cup Qualifiers Due to Injury

Recurring muscle problems are hindering his recovery, with a hamstring strain suffered during training last Thursday.

Neymar has been ruled out of Brazil's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia due to persistent injury problems. The 33-year-old Santos forward has not played for Brazil since October 2023, when he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay.

His recovery has been hampered by recurring muscular problems, with a further hamstring strain suffered during training last Thursday.

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti said in a press conference on Monday: “Neymar is not (in the team) because he had a problem last week. But we don’t need to test Neymar. Everyone knows him, from the technical committee to the fans. Like everyone else, Neymar needs to be in good physical condition to help the national team and perform well in the World Cup.”

Brazil, who have already qualified for next year's football showpiece, face Chile in Rio de Janeiro on September 4th and Bolivia in La Paz five days later.