In the early afternoon of 17/6 in New Jersey, the Brazil squad held their penultimate training session before the match against Haiti, with all 26 players present. The highlight was Neymar's appearance during the warm-up with the full squad. The forward, wearing the number 10 jersey, received applause from his teammates before walking through a "guard of honor" formed by the players—a traditional welcoming ritual within the team.
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Brazilian players form a guard of honor to welcome Neymar back during the 17/6 training session. Photo: Reuters
Unlike the previous day, when he trained individually with the ball, this marked Neymar's first time integrating with the full squad since joining the camp. However, after approximately 10 minutes of warm-ups, he was again separated to perform individual physical exercises.
According to Brazilian newspaper Globo, Neymar will certainly not feature in the match against Haiti, as he still requires more time to improve his physical condition and regain match fitness. Upon entering the training ground, the 34-year-old forward joked with reporters, asking if they had missed him.
Brazil welcomes Neymar back with a guard of honor ritual on 17/6. Video: X/BrasilEdition
Neymar's right calf injury, sustained during Santos' 0-3 loss to Coritiba, had lasted for approximately one month. Earlier, he underwent medical tests and missed a training session as the medical staff wanted to monitor his recovery. He began light running exercises on Tuesday and progressed to more complex movements, such as changing direction and decelerating, by Wednesday.
Recently, Neymar primarily focused on rehabilitation in the functional training room with the physiotherapy team. The Brazilian Football Confederation also emphasized that the player is not only treating his injury but also maintaining his physical fitness through a personalized regimen to prevent muscle atrophy and ensure cardiovascular health during his return to the field. Despite the positive signs from his return to training, the coaching staff remains cautious, not wanting to rush the recovery process.
Neymar trains with the ball on 16/6. Video: X/NR Sports
During the initial 15 minutes of the training session, which was open to the media, coach Carlo Ancelotti had the team test a 4-2-4 formation. The lineup included Danilo (later replaced by Ederson), Marquinhos, Leo Pereira, Douglas Santos; Fabinho, Bruno Guimaraes; Gabriel Martinelli, Vinicius, Igor Thiago, and Luiz Henrique.
In the second round of Group C of the 2026 World Cup, Brazil will face Haiti at Lincoln Field, Pennsylvania, at 7:30 h on 20/6, Hanoi time.
Hong Duy (according to Globo)
