Neymar is expected to miss two to three weeks because of injury, a setback that will likely rule him out of Brazil’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against the Moroccan national football team.

The injury comes at a crucial time for Brazil as the tournament approaches, with Neymar remaining one of the team’s most recognizable and influential players despite entering the later stages of his career. Medical assessments reportedly indicate that the forward will require several weeks of recovery, making his availability for the opening stages of the competition unlikely.

Brazil has relied heavily on Neymar throughout much of the past decade, with the veteran attacker serving as both a playmaker and goal-scoring threat. His absence against Morocco would force the coaching staff to adjust its attacking approach and place greater responsibility on the rest of the squad to generate scoring opportunities. While Brazil possesses considerable attacking depth, replacing a player of Neymar’s experience and creativity remains a difficult task.

The timing of the injury also raises questions about Neymar’s fitness throughout the remainder of the tournament. Although current projections suggest he could return during the group stage or knockout rounds, maintaining match fitness after a period on the sidelines may present an additional challenge. Brazil will likely prioritize a cautious recovery process in hopes of having the forward available later in the competition.

At 34 years old, Neymar is widely expected to be participating in one of the final major international tournaments of his career. As veteran players age, recovery times and injury management often become increasingly important factors. Any physical setback involving Neymar is likely to draw significant attention because of both his role within the Brazilian national team and the possibility that opportunities to compete on the World Cup stage are becoming more limited.

The injury could also have broader implications for Brazil’s World Cup ambitions. Entering the tournament, the team was considered among the favorites to contend for the title. Missing Neymar for the opening match places additional pressure on Brazil’s supporting cast and could affect the team’s ability to establish momentum early in the competition. With Neymar also being a veteran and a legend in the Brazilian national team, this could affect locker room morale. A positive result against Morocco would help ease those concerns, while any struggles could increase scrutiny surrounding Neymar’s absence.

Despite the setback, Brazil remains one of the most talented teams in the tournament and is expected to remain competitive regardless of Neymar’s availability. Attention will now shift toward his recovery timeline and whether he can return in time to play a meaningful role later in Brazil’s World Cup campaign. Another thing to watch is when he does recover, how stable his fitness levels will be and whether another similar or worse injury can occur like has happened in the past with a previous ACL injury while on Brazil duty.

The pilot of the plane carrying members of Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense that crashed in the Colombian mountains on Monday night pleaded to make an immediate landing because the aircraft was out of fuel, according to a recording leaked to Colombian news outlets on Wednesday.

Leaked Audio From Colombia Plane Crash

The audio shows the final minutes of the doomed flight, in which the pilot is heard frantically requesting permission from the air traffic tower to land immediately. A controller explained another plane had been diverted with mechanical problems and had priority; the controller then instructed the pilot to wait seven minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOYOAohsvWk

As the plane circled, the pilot became impatient after waiting several minutes for further instructions. “Complete electrical failure, without fuel,” he said just moments before the jet finally crash-landed in a mountainous region on the outskirts of Medellin, Colombia.

Just before the recording went silent, the pilot stated he was flying at 9,000 feet, and made his final landing request. “Vectors, señorita. Landing vectors.” This audio, along with the lack of an explosion upon impact, point to a rare case of fuel running out as a cause of the crash of the plane, which experts say was flying at its maximum range.

Only six of the 77 passengers survived: three players, two crew members, and a journalist. The plane’s fuselage, engines and tail were all torn apart due to the crash. Chapecoense, a rising Brazilian soccer club, was headed to Colombia to play in the finals of the Copa Sudamericana, one of South America’s biggest soccer tournaments.

At least 21 journalists were reported to be on the flight as well.

Dr. Ana Gonzalez, the medical director at Clinica Somer, the hospital outside Medellin where three of the survivors were being treated, said two of them, both crew members, were in stable condition.

Alan Ruschel, a defender for Chapecoense, was in critical condition, she added. Mr. Ruschel spent time before the flight posting selfies on social media networks with his teammates.

“Alan is the patient with the most serious injuries,” Dr. González said. “It is too soon to tell if he will be able to walk again, but we hope that in the future he will.”

 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 16: Kempes (C) of Chapecoense celebrates a scored goal during the match between Botafogo and Chapecoense as part of Brasileirao Series A 2016 at Luso Brasileiro stadium on November 16, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alexandre Loureiro/Getty Images)