Brazil’s Carlo Ancelotti makes bold Neymar declaration ahead of next World Cup game

Carlo Ancelotti faced backlash for adding Neymar to Brazil’s World Cup lineup, despite his inconsistent form and extensive injury history, which is quite evident, as the 34-year-old Santos forward has yet to play in this year’s quadrennial tournament due to a nagging calf injury.

>However, after Brazil secured a 3-0 win against Haiti to put them one step closer to the knockouts, Ancelotti boldly declared that Neymar will be good to go against Scotland in their final Group C match on June 24 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

>“Neymar will be training tomorrow individually, and on Monday with the rest of the team. He WILL be available for the match against Scotland,” Ancelotti stated via Goal.com’s Tom Hindle.

>With Neymar unavailable, the Samba Boys have relied on Vinicius Jr., Matheus Cunha, Raphinha, and Igor Thiago to lead their attack. Vinicius Jr. and Cunha are Brazil’s joint-top scorers in the World Cup, with two goals apiece.

>MORE:Top South American goalscorers in FIFA World Cup history

June 17, 2026; Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.; Brazil’s Neymar Jr., Raphinha and Marquinhos during training. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn ImagesBrazil suffer massive injury blow during 3-0 rout of HaitiAfter their lackluster 1-1 draw against Morocco in the opener, Brazil bounced back with a 3-0 rout of Haiti, who became the first nation to be eliminated from the World Cup. The Samba Boys joined Morocco at the top of Group C with four points apiece after the Atlas Lions secured a 1-0 win over Scotland earlier today.

>Matheus Cunha, who was one of Carlo Ancelotti’s notable changes in the starting XI, scored in the 23rd and 36th minutes to give Brazil a 2-0 lead before Vinicius Jr. added one more goal right before halftime.

>However, Raphinha had to leave the pitch in the first half due to an apparent hamstring injury. The Barcelona winger received attention from the team’s medical staff on the field, looked visibly upset, and was seen receiving words of encouragement from teammate Gabriel Magalhaes.

>Bournemouth teenager Rayan took Raphinha’s place in the second half, and the 19-year-old did well in his World Cup debut. Gabriel Martinelli, Endrick, Igor Thiago, and Luiz Henrique could soak up more minutes in their next few games if Raphinha’s injury is serious.