Neymar won’t play for Brazil in the team’s second World Cup match against Haiti in the race to be fit for the tournament’s knockout stages. The talismanic striker is currently recuperating from a calf injury.

“He will remain in New Jersey to optimize the final phase of his recovery process, making use of the excellent facilities at The Ridge hotel and the Columbia Park training center,” the CBF said of the Red Bull New York facility in a news release.

The forward has been out for a month with a right calf injury. He was seen on the pitch along with his teammates Raphinha, Bruno Guimarães, Gabriel Magalhães, and Fabinho on Wednesday.

Neymar was picked by Carlo Ancelotti in the World Cup squad despite picking up a calf injury while playing for Santos on May 17, and had not returned to training since.

The former Barcelona and PSG star was on the bench for Brazil’s 1-1 opener draw vs. Morocco, but he wasn’t seen in the team kit.

“Neymar is working very hard to recover as soon as possible,” Ancelotti said before that game on Saturday. “Our expectation is that he will recover and rejoin the group next week.

“When we included him in the roster, we added him for his technical abilities, which are indisputable. But we also want him for his experience and the example he sets for the young players on the team.”

Neymar, 34, has not played for the senior national team since Oct. 17, 2023, when he tore the ACL and meniscus in his left knee while playing for the national team.

Brazil will take on Haiti on Friday.