Neymar in ‘great shape’ as he targets return against Scotland, says Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli says Neymar is in “great shape” and performing at a “high level” in training, with Brazil hopful he can return to face Scotland in their final group game.
Neymar was named in Brazil’s World Cup squad but suffered a calf injury prior to linking up with the national team, which has seen him miss the first two matches.
Brazil have drawn 1-1 with Morocco and beaten Haiti 3-0, leaving them top of Group C heading into the final match.
Carlo Ancelotti has already said he expects Neymar to be fit to feature against Scotland, which is a boost to Brazil given Raphinha will be sidelined through injury.
And though it is not yet clear how long Neymar will be able to play on Wednesday, Martinelli is confident he will be ready to make an impact.
“He’s performing at a very high level, and you could see the intensity in [Monday’s] training session,” Martinelli told a press conference.
O último jogo da fase de grupos já é logo ali! Vamos em busca da sexta estrela.
24/06 • Quarta-feira
18h (local) • 19h (de Brasília)
Miami#BateNoPeito pic.twitter.com/q5QX9wZzvB— brasil (@CBF_Futebol) June 22, 2026
“You could see how keen he is to be with us, and his quality is unquestionable.
“Whether he’ll play or not is a question for the manager, but I think he’s in great shape.”
Neymar, who is back in training, has not featured for Brazil since October 2023, when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury against Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier.
He is Brazil’s all-time top scorer, with 79 goals in 129 appearances. He has featured in each of the last three World Cups, scoring eight of his goals at the tournament.
