Neymar Not 100% Fit for World Cup Match Against Switzerland - Brazil Head Coach

© AFP 2023 / TORU YAMANAKAFC Barcelona football star Neymar answers questions during a press conference to announce new sponsorship with Japanese internet retailer Rakuten in Tokyo on July 13, 2017.
FC Barcelona football star Neymar answers questions during a press conference to announce new sponsorship with Japanese internet retailer Rakuten in Tokyo on July 13, 2017. - Sputnik International
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ROSTOV-ON-DON (Sputnik) - Brazil head coach Tite said Saturday that forward Neymar had not fully recovered ahead of the team's first World Cup match against Switzerland at Rostov Arena on Sunday.

The 26-year-old returned to full training in mid-May after undergoing the surgery on his fractured right foot in March. The striker has not played since late February and returned to the field in a pre-World Cup 2-0 win over Croatia at the Anfield in Liverpool on June 3.

"Neymar is not 100 percent [fit] yet, but he is very privileged physically. His sprinting capacity and his speed is very impressive, and he hasn't lost that, but he's not 100 percent [fit] yet. I mean, I hope he will be perfect… He's good enough to play very well," Tite told journalists.

However, Real Madrid and Brazil defender Marcelo called fellow Brazil teammate Neymar and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo the best football players in the world right now without mentioning Argentina star Lionel Messi.

"I agree with an opinion that [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Neymar are the best right now. I saw Ronaldo play last night," Marcelo told journalists.

Ronaldo and Messi have won FIFA Ballon d'Or awards five times apiece, while Neymar has yet to win one. Ronaldo scored a hat-trick during Portugal's 3-3 draw with Spain on Friday.

Brazil has been drawn in Group E along with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia. The five-time World Cup winners will play their first game of the tournament against Switzerland on Sunday.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Thursday and will continue until July 15, with the matches set to be played in 11 cities across Russia.

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