Brazil faces injury crisis ahead of World Cup clash with Scotland

Seven key players missed training for Brazil ahead of their final Group C match against Scotland, leaving Carlo Ancelotti with a squad management headache at the worst possible time.

The match, scheduled for June 24 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, will determine Brazil’s path through the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For a nation that has won the tournament five times but not since 2002, every selection decision carries the weight of a 24-year drought.

Neymar’s race against time

The most high-profile absence has been Neymar, who missed Brazil’s first two Group C matches with a right calf injury. Ancelotti confirmed that the forward began individual training on June 21 and was expected to rejoin the team on June 22, theoretically making him available for the Scotland fixture.

Then there’s Raphinha, who has also been dealing with injury concerns.

Ancelotti, who took the Brazil job in May 2025 after a decorated club career that included Champions League titles with AC Milan and Real Madrid, is learning that international management comes with a unique brand of frustration.

What Brazil has done so far

Despite the fitness concerns, Brazil’s results in Group C have been solid enough. They opened with a 1-1 draw against Morocco, a respectable result against a team that reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup. They followed that up with a convincing 3-0 dismantling of Haiti, with Matheus Cunha scoring twice and Vinícius Júnior adding the third.

The bigger picture for Brazil

This World Cup features an expanded 48-team format, which means more matches, longer tournament runs, and greater physical demands on every squad.

Brazil’s last World Cup triumph came in 2002. Since then, they have endured the 7-1 humiliation against Germany on home soil in 2014, a quarterfinal exit in 2018, and a penalty shootout defeat to Croatia in the quarterfinals in 2022.

Ancelotti was hired specifically to bring a tactical discipline and winning mentality that had been lacking in recent cycles. His appointment was a statement of intent: Brazil wanted a coach who had won everything at club level and could translate that experience to the international stage.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.