Why is Neymar Jr Not Playing in Santos vs Cruzeiro Today?

After surviving a massive relegation scare in 2025, Santos are once again back in the relegation battle in the new season. Neymar Jr, who played a pivotal role in their great escape, has to shoulder the responsibility of saving his boyhood club again. But the 34-year-old will not be available on Sunday for his side's massive Santos vs Cruzeiro game. Is Neymar Jr injured? Discover why Neymar Jr. is not playing against Cruzeiro.

Cuca takes a major call on Neymar Jr.'s availability

Neymar Jr is reportedly fit and has no fresh injury concerns. But head coach Cuca revealed in a press conference that Neymar will not play in any capacity on Sunday. He confirmed workload management as the main reason for leaving Neymar out of the squad for the Santos vs Cruzeiro game in Brazilian Serie A. "I had a separate conversation with Neymar, and I can tell you now that he will be out of Sunday’s game due to workload management. According to our physiology team, the chance of injury is very high, and we cannot take that risk,” the Santos manager revealed in a pre-match press conference.

Neymar has been the saving grace of Santos in the new season. With three goals and an assist in three games, he looked the brightest but wasn't able to lead them to a victory. However, he played back-to-back 90 minutes in three days (March 15th and 18th), and the prospect of him playing a third game in seven days was out of the equation, according to his coach.

As he recovers from the most recent ACL injury in October 2023, Neymar has been plagued by niggling injuries. It has led to inconsistencies in his game as his form has taken a hit. So preserving his fitness and managing his minutes will only help him in the long run. Despite the improved recovery techniques, at 34, it is impossible to play three games a week.

Is the World Cup dream over for Neymar Jr?

As Carlo Ancelotti announced his final Brazil National Football Team squad for the last of the friendlies before the FIFA World Cup, Neymar was excluded from the list. His positive form led many to believe Neymar did enough to get a spot, but the Italian coach thought otherwise. The former Barcelona superstar expressed his disappointment over being overlooked. “I’m upset and sad for not being picked by Ancelotti for the two friendlies. But my focus remains, day after day, training after training, match after match. We will reach our goal, there’s still the final squad,” he said.

With 79 goals in 128 appearances, Neymar Jr is the leading goalscorer for the Selecao and hopes to play for the national team at the showpiece event once more. However, Ancelotti pointed out he would not give in to sentimentality and would only do the best for his side. “Neymar is not at 100 percent, and therefore, he is not on the list. If he can be at 100 percent physically, he can be there. Neymar could be at the World Cup. Neymar has to keep working, playing, showcasing his qualities, and maintaining good physical condition,” Ancelotti added.

In this regard, Cuca's decision to drop Neymar makes for interesting reading. It could either allow him to recover fully and show top form to earn Ancelotti's trust. If he can play consistently for the next couple of months, he will directly win the ticket to North America. But if the persistent load management pattern continues and he misses out on key games or if he picks up another injury, the dream might truly be over for the legendary winger.