Neymar took a cautious step forward in his recovery on Tuesday, training separately from Brazil's main group at their Morristown, New Jersey camp. The 34-year-old forward participated in light running drills with a member of Carlo Ancelotti's coaching staff, marking his first pitch activity since arriving in the United States for the World Cup.

The former Barcelona and PSG star has been sidelined for a month with a right calf injury, suffered while playing for Santos on May 17. Brazilian medical staff repeated his Grade II muscle injury examination on Monday, though results remain unconfirmed. Sources indicate Brazil hopes to have him available for the knockout stages, meaning he would miss upcoming matches against Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

Neymar's injury history spans roughly 700 days since tearing his ACL and meniscus against Uruguay in October 2023. He watched Brazil's 1-1 opener against Morocco from the bench but wasn't dressed for action. Ancelotti emphasized Neymar's technical abilities and experience as reasons for including him despite fitness concerns.

Brazil faces Haiti on Friday needing positive results to advance from Group C. Without their premier playmaker, the five-time champions must rely on younger attackers while hoping Neymar's recovery progresses for potential later tournament impact.