Neymar returned to training on Saturday, exercising with the ball and shooting on goal just two days before Brazil played South Korea in the World Cup round of 16 match.
The good news for the five-time champions came on the same day that left-back Alex Telles and forward Gabriel Jesus were ruled out of the tournament due to injuries sustained in a 1-0 loss to Cameroon on Friday.
Neymar had not returned to the team’s training center since he damaged ligaments in his right ankle in Brazil’s opener against Serbia. He joined the light practice session with the players who didn’t start on Friday.
In images released by the Brazilian soccer confederation, Neymar performed a series of individual exercises, kicking the ball with both feet and showing no signs of his injury.
Doctors for the Brazil team did not immediately report Neymar’s condition or say if he would be available for the game against South Korea.
Neymar looked good when he joined his teammates at the Lusail Stadium on Friday. He walked without a limp and briefly played with the ball with no visible problems. He could be seen jogging across the pitch on his way to the locker room after the match ended.
Neymar, seeking his first major title with Brazil, was forced to pull out of the 2014 World Cup after injuring his back in the quarterfinal against Colombia. He did not play in the 2019 Copa América due to another right ankle injury.
Alex Telles and Gabriel Jesus injured their right knee when Brazil’s reserve team lost to Cameroon in their final group game. Brazil had already reached the round of 16.
Alex Telles had made his debut in Brazil’s second match, against Switzerland, after regular starter Alex Sandro was injured. Gabriel Jesus came off the bench in the first two games.
It was not yet clear if the players would stay with the squad in Qatar despite not being able to play.
Right-back Danilo, who has also missed Brazil’s last two games with an ankle injury, trained normally with the rest of the group on Saturday and was expected to be available for the game against South Korea. It is not clear if Alex Sandro will be able to play. If not, Tite will have to improvise on the left side.
Brazil was eliminated by Belgium in the quarterfinals in Russia. The team is trying to win its first World Cup title in two decades.
