March 17, New Delhi – Neymar has been excluded from the Brazil squad for the upcoming friendlies, as the five-time World Cup champions continue their preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
Brazil is scheduled to play France on March 26 and Croatia on March 31 in Orlando, ahead of the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Neymar's absence follows his recent absence from a match for Santos FC due to muscle fatigue.
Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, has not played for the national team since suffering a serious knee injury in October 2023, and has struggled to maintain a consistent run of matches since returning to club football last year.
Brazil will play another friendly against Egypt in June before beginning their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13.
