Brazil comfortably defeated Panama 6-2 at home stadium Maracanã on Sunday, in their final friendly before heading to North America for the 2026 World Cup. Vinícius Jr. opened the scoring with a beauty in the first minute and Casemiro also found the net while Matheus Cunha scored an own goal.
Due to a calf injury, Neymar watched the match from the sidelines in training attire, but still received a thunderous welcome from the approximately 72,000 spectators in attendance as he waved to acknowledge the crowd.
After the final whistle, the spotlight remained on the 34-year-old star. Rather than heading straight for the tunnel, the Panama players approached him for photos. A member of the Panama coaching staff even stood by with a phone to record the moment for each player.
According to RMC Sportnearly the entire Panama squad lined up along with many members of their coaching and support staff. The Brazilian superstar kept a smile on his face throughout, happily taking photo requests from his opponents.
Panama players line up to take photos with Neymar.
After Neymar is finished, a second line formed in the tunnel leading to the dressing room, as the visiting players waited for photos with Real Madrid star Vinícius Jr, the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up.
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad traveled to the U.S. on June 1 for the 2026 World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19. Panama are also participating in the tournament, having been drawn into Group L alongside England, Croatia and Ghana.
Neymar’s last official appearance for Brazil came in October 2023, just before he suffered a devastating knee injury that sidelined him for an extended period. Despite his lengthy absence, Ancelotti’s decision to include him in the World Cup squad generated excitement across Brazil.
However, upon showing up to the national team camp, Neymar faced fitness concerns. The discovery of a calf issue during preparations is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks. The setback has reportedly caused friction, with the Brazil coaching staff feeling they were misled by Neymar’s club Santos regarding his actual fitness condition.
As a result, Neymar’s availability for Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13 remains highly uncertain.
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