PHILADELPHIA — After Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0 in their second World Cup match on Friday night, Selecao coach Carlo Ancelotti said he expects Neymar to be available for the Group C finale.
Neymar, 34, has been rehabbing a right calf ailment. He last played for Santos in Brazil’s top flight on May 17.
The Selecao will oppose Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Fla., needing only a win or a draw to advance to the round of 32.
“Neymar will be training tomorrow individually, and on Monday, he’s going to be training with the rest of the team,” Ancelotti said in the post-match press conference via an interpreter. “He will be available for the match against Scotland.”
Injuries limited Neymar during Brazil’s 2026 qualifying campaign. However, he was influential when he played, scoring twice and contributing three assists in four appearances.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti did not commit to continuing with Matheus Cunha at center forward despite the Manchester United player’s first-half brace against Haiti. Cunha started in place of Igor Thiago after coming on in the 61st minute of Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco in their tournament opener.
“He may,” Ancelotti said when asked if Cunha would remain in the center forward role.
“I think that Matheus’ position was a good position for creating problems to the defense,” Ancelotti said. “And he filtered his passes very well, and his position was a good position to be effective at the front.
“It can be an option. We discussed this yesterday. I don’t want a clear identity. Maybe we will change this on the next match.”
Brazil, on four points, currently lead Morocco on goal-difference in Group C after the Atlas Lions defeated Scotland 1-0 earlier Friday.
The Scots could be playing for their tournament lives on Wednesday, but Ancelotti insisted he is focusing on the bigger picture.
“We don’t think about knocking out. We think about playing well and improving, and we analyze the match,” Ancelotti said. “If we can reach the first position of the group, that would be important for the future. So we want to prepare well for that match.
“Scotland has its features. It can create a problem. It created problems to Morocco today. And so we have to focus on the match and be calm and be tranquil and keep on working to improve.”
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
