By Humberto Viera
Aug 23, 2024, 5:24 PM EDT
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal striker Neymar is on track to return to the Brazilian national team once he has fully recovered from his knee injury.
This was announced by the Canarinha coach, Dorival Júnior, in a press conference held this Friday in Rio de Janeiro, as reported by EFE, where the squad for the upcoming South American qualifying matches against Ecuador and Paraguay was announced.
“He is an extremely important, fundamental and decisive player, a unique talent. We are all aware of that,” said Dorival Júnior. However, Neymar is not on the squad list, as he is still in the final stages of recovery after having seriously injured the cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee in October last year.
Dorival Júnior stressed the need to respect medical protocols before Neymar can play again. “We have to follow the medical protocols; he is not fully recovered yet,” explained the coach. However, he assured that once Neymar is in optimal condition, he will be called up again without a doubt. “He is a player whose importance is evident to everyone. But for now, it is premature. We will wait,” added the coach.
Neymar’s absence was keenly felt during the last Copa America in the United States, where Brazil, led by Dorival, failed to get past the quarter-finals and were eliminated by Uruguay in a penalty shoot-out.
Currently, the Brazilian national team, which is led by Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior, will face Ecuador on September 6 at the Couto Pereira stadium in Curitiba. Four days later, on September 10, they will face Paraguay at the Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asunción.
Brazil’s situation in the qualifiers is worrying, as they are in sixth place in the table with a record of two wins, one draw and three losses. The gap with Argentina, which leads the standings with 15 points, is considerable, making each match crucial to improve their position and secure qualification for the next World Cup.
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