One of the big injury sagas of World Cup 2026 appears to have come to a happy ending after Neymar made his long-awaited return for Brazil in their final group game against Scotland.
Neymar, who had been out of action after suffering a calf injury just three weeks out from the tournament, came off the bench for a tearful cameo as the Selecao topped Group C, meaning the 34-year-old could be set to play a greater role in Brazil’s knockouts campaign.
However, many nations are still sweating over major injury concerns to top players. England are set to be without Reece James for their first knockout game while Declan Rice’s fitness continues to be assessed after he was rested for their group-stage finale against Panama.
Spain have also been dealt a double injury blow after wingers Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino suffered setbacks during their third group outing against Uruguay, while Mohamed Salah’s hopes of a knockout match with Egypt are in the balance after picking up a knee problem.
See below for a full list of key injuries at this year’s World Cup.
Neymar (Brazil)
After missing Brazil’s first two World Cup matches with a calf problem, Neymar seems to have won his race against time to be fit after making an appearance off the bench against Scotland.
It remains to be seen if he will be deemed fit enough to start any Brazil’s knockout games – or whether Carlo Ancelotti will opt for the 34-year-old ahead of some of their younger talent.
“Neymar is making great progress,” Ancelotti said ahead of their round of 32 clash with Japan. “I believe that in the last week his progress was very significant; unfortunately, he could not train during the time he was with us so that he could play longer than 15 minutes. I think he is doing well enough to do that but obviously it will depend on the context that we’ll be facing during tomorrow’s match.”
Reece James (England)
England have suffered an injury blow with James out for their last-32 tie due to a hamstring problem.
He missed their group finale against Panama, with Thomas Tuchel saying: “Reece has a minor hamstring issue. He was not able to train in the last two days. He is now in an accelerated rehabilitation programme and we take it game by game. But there is some belief that he will be available for us [again] in the tournament.
“We have hopes that he will be fit for the next match. It can be a tight one. But the hopes are still alive.”
Declan Rice (England)
Rice was removed on 72 minutes during England’s opening 4-2 win over Croatia after complaining of discomfort in his lower back and hamstring. As such, he was a doubt to start against Ghana, but he played the full 90 plus added time anyway as his side drew 0-0. Then, after the game, he was seen appearing to limp through the mixed zone while sporting bandaging on his calf.
He made the bench for England’s group finale against Panama but was an unused substitute. Tuchel insisted he was available to play but did not want to take any unnecessary risks with the midfielder.
“I’m good, genuinely, I’m good,” he said. “I know there’s been one (concern) over my hamstring, which has been an issue, but that’s not a problem because I’m still here training, I’m playing. I’m fine.
“I got a dead calf in the last minute of the Ghana game. The guy whacked me and it literally blew up for like three days, so that was just unlucky. It wasn’t actually a calf problem.
“I’m managing myself really well. I feel good, fit and strong. It’s the World Cup and missing out the other day (isn’t a problem).”
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
The legendary former Liverpool winger’s hopes of playing in his first World Cup knockout match are in the balance after the Egypt captain suffered a knee injury during his side’s 1-1 draw with Iran.
Salah was surprisingly taken off on 57 minutes and he was seen with ice wrapped around his leg as he watched on from the bench. The early prognosis seems to be positive though, with manager Hossam Hassan hopeful that it isn’t a major setback.
“I talked to Salah and he said he’s going to be OK and it’s not a big injury,” Hassan said. “We still have time to talk to the medical staff. I think he will be back, and when I spoke to Salah he assured me he’s going to be OK.”
And in a boost for the Pharoahs, Salah has returned to training ahead of their last-32 clash with Australia. It is not yet clear whether he will be fit enough to start, though.
Yeremy Pino (Spain)
The Crystal Palace winger suffered a collarbone injury against Uruguay and there are fears he could miss the rest of the tournament.
Spain said X-rays showed Pino had not sustained a fractured collar bone against Uruguay but an acromioclavicular sprain.
“Pino can miss the rest of the World Cup,” Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente said after the match. “It is a collarbone injury. He was suffering a lot, it was heroic that he helped us until the end of the game.”
Nico Williams (Spain)
The injuries are suddenly piling up for La Roja after Williams suffered a groin problem in the win over Uruguay.
His availability for the knockouts is in doubt and, like Pino, he may be ruled out for the tournament.
“Today is one of the worst days of my life,” Williams posted on social media. “I am injured again after a very difficult year. Yesterday, I suffered a new injury following an incident where a fellow professional acted out of frustration, unhappiness, and sadness over the situation he was going through. In my opinion, it was a play that could have been avoided, as it was completely unnecessary. But this won’t stop me.”
Christian Pulisic (United States)
Pulisic is back in contention for the United States after missing the majority of their group stage campaign through injury.
The co-hosts’ star player shone in the first-half of USA’s 4-1 win against Paraguay in Los Angeles but was withdrawn by Mauricio Pochettino at half-time due to a calf problem.
The US remained without Pulisic for their win over Australia, which sealed their place in the knockout stages.
“It was impossible for him today to play,” Pochettino said. “We hope that next game he will be available but if we want to win the competition we need the whole team.”
And after insisting he felt “great” ahead of their final group outing against Turkey, Pulisic did manage to make a second-half cameo off the bench as they lost 3-2.
“I felt healthy, I felt good, so it was really nice to be back with the team and get some minutes,” Pulisic told Fox, with all eyes now on the knockouts to see if he will be fit enough to start in the round of 32.
Raphinha (Brazil)
Raphinha suffered a hamstring injury during Brazil’s 3-0 win over Haiti and has been absence since, missing their narrow round of 32 win over Japan.
He limped off at the end of the first half of the contest in Philadelphia and was seen walking gingerly out of the stadium after the game’s conclusion.
The Barcelona star has undergone treatment on a hamstring injury with the hope of him returning to the World Cup, the country’s national team said.
Raphinha is set to go through an intensive treatment protocol with the aim of resuming normal activities in a short period of time.
“I always demand a lot from myself and work every day to improve – that will never change,” Raphinha posted on social media.
“I will do everything within my power to recover and return as soon as possible. I want to be alongside my teammates, fight for our goals and keep giving everything I have to honour this shirt and bring joy to the Brazilian fans. I’m staying strong.”
Jarell Quansah (England)
England’s injury crisis at right-back is mounting after Quansah was forced off against Panama with injury.
The Bayer Leverkusen defender, operating out wide instead of in the centre, will be out for the last-32 with Tuchel saying: “A classic ankle twist and he is in pain. He said he had it before and it is a matter of days. He has his leg up high and in ice.
“Naturally of course [I am worried about the right-back situation] – we have another injury in the position.
“It will be a tight race for Reece James and a tight race for Jarell Quansah but it is our job to find solutions and we will do.”
Cristian Romero (Argentina)
Argentina centre-back Romero was forced off during Argentina’s win over Austria after picking up a knee problem, giving cause for concern regarding his future involvement this World Cup.
The Spurs man saw his foot stamped on by Marcel Sabitzer but began holding his knee, which was not subject to any contact.
While he did step up his recovery as the group-stage entered its climax, he was rested for Argentina’s dead rubber Group J finale against Jordan.
Alphonso Davies (Canada)
Canada’s captain has sat out the entire group stage for the host nation due to a hamstring problem, but has finally made his return to action in their dramatic round of 32 win over South Africa, albeit off the bench.
While he was able to return to the bench in Canada’s romping of Qatar, he did not make a cameo and was then once again completely absent from the squad for their third match against Switzerland, sparking concerns that he would not feature at all for his country’s home World Cup.
However, Jesse Marsch insisted he would be “ready for the next match” and while he was not deemed fit enough to start, the Bayern Munich star did manage to feature against Bafana Bafana.
He will now hope to start for Canada in the last-16 clash against either Morocco or the Netherlands.
Edouard Mendy (Senegal)
Senegal have seen first choice goalkeeper Mendy ruled out for their first knockouts clash against Belgium in a huge blow to the African nation.
Mendy suffered a knee injury against Norway and has yet to recover.
Auston Trusty (United States)
Trusty was withdrawn during the USA’s group-stage defeat to Turkey after rolling his ankle “pretty bad”.
He eased fears of a serious injury by not needing a stretcher but the Celtic defender may struggle to make fitness for the co-hosts’ first knockout match.
“I don’t know. I can’t really react to it,” he told Fox after full-time. “Honestly, I am in my head right now, I rolled my ankle a pretty bad.
“I felt like we had a lot of opportunities during the game. I think they had like three shots and three goals. So it was just an unfortunate loss, but gotta keep going.
“How am I feeling? I’ll be all right. Honestly, I don’t know. I heard a little something, but I’ll be fine. No worries.”
Victor Munoz (Spain)
New Liverpool signing Munoz has been absent for the entirety of the World Cup so far after sustaining a calf injury in the build-up to the tournament. He then suffered a further setback when he was diagnosed with another muscular injury.
He is back on the pitch but is currently training alone.
Lucas Paqueta (Brazil)
Paqueta was forced off at half-time against Japan after picking up a muscle problem, making him a doubt for the last-16.
The CBF did not provide a timetable for Paqueta’s recovery, saying: “Paqueta underwent scans on Tuesday that confirmed a muscle injury to the back of his left thigh.
“The player will undergo an intensive treatment programme under the supervision of the national team’s medical staff, with the aim of recovering and returning to action as soon as possible.”
Tino Livramento (England)
England were dealt their first real injury blow of the campaign before a ball was kicked after Newcastle defender Livramento was ruled out for the tournament with a calf injury.
Tuchel could have called up a raft of other full-back options, including Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and Newcastle’s Lewis Hall. However the England manager chose to bring Trevoh Chalobah, a centre-back, into the fold.
Ismael Kone (Canada)
Canada midfielder Ismael Kone has undergone successful surgery to repair severe fractures in his lower left leg, after sustaining a horror injury during their group-stage match against Qatar.
The injury, which involved both the tibia and fibula bones, means the 24-year-old will miss the remainder of the Fifa World Cup 2026 campaign.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch described the immediate aftermath, recalling he “could hear the bone snap.”
Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)
Another confirmed absentee, Tottenham forward Kudus will miss the World Cup because of a quadricep injury.
The 25-year-old has not featured since January, in a blow to Ghana – who are in England’s group.
Tomas Soucek (Czech Republic – eliminated)
West Ham midfielder was stretchered off after sustaining a severe ankle injury when colliding with Mexico’s veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Czech Republic’s defeat to the host nation confirmed their World Cup elimination meaning the injury will not have an impact on his involvement future games at the tournaments, though it could rule him out for the beginning of the normal season.
Manuel Ugarte (Uruguay – eliminated)
Manuel Ugarte was carried off on a stretcher as his Uruguay team were knocked out of the World Cup, with the injured midfielder leaving the field in tears.
Ugarte, who represents Manchester United at club level, collided with teammate Mathias Olivera while the pair chased Spain’s Pedri, and he appeared to catch his studs in the turf and injure his knee.
Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany – eliminated)
The central defender missed the remainder of the tournament and faces several months on the sidelines due to an ankle ligament injury. The setback was confirmed by the national team on 22 June, two days after their 2-1 Group E victory over Ivory Coast.
Schlotterbeck, a key figure in the German defence, sustained the injury early in the match and was substituted at half-time for Antonio Rüdiger. A subsequent scan revealed the Borussia Dortmund player had torn a ligament in his left ankle, specifically the medial collateral ligament.
Wataru Endo (Japan – eliminated)
Liverpool defensive midfielder Endo injured his foot in February and has been ruled out of the World Cup – and the 33-year-old has immediately retired from international duty.
“Since my injury, I’ve done everything I possibly could up to this point, so I have no regrets whatsoever,” he said. “From here on, I’ll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans.”
Jurrien Timber (Netherlands – eliminated)
The Arsenal defender had been out since March due to a groin problem, but came on in the second half of the Champions League final against PSG.
However, the Dutch FA believe Timber had “not recovered sufficiently” to take part in the tournament in a “medically responsible manner.”
As such, Timber has left the Dutch squad and been ruled out of the World Cup.
Lennart Karl (Germany – eliminated)
The 18-year-old was expected to be one of the young stars of this tournament but suffered a torn thigh muscle in training, ruling him out of the World Cup.
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