Neymar to boost team morale from bench

Five-time world champions Brazil are set to begin their new mission of world domination with a match against Morocco. The Seleção will take to the field at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, at 4 am on Sunday (June 14) Bangladesh time. The team's biggest star, Neymar, will not be on the field in this match due to an injury. However, despite not being able to play, the poster boy is sitting with his teammates on the official Brazilian team bus that left for the stadium to keep the new and young footballers mentally strong and to boost the team's morale.

Neymar is unable to be in the starting XI against Morocco due to a right calf injury. However, even though he cannot play with the ball, he will stand in a row in the very center of the field with the rest of the 25 teammates during the national anthem before the match starts.

According to FIFA's new rules, all 26 players in the World Cup squad will be allowed to be on the field together during the opening drills and the national anthem. Thanks to this rule from football's highest governing body, Neymar will be wearing the familiar number 10 jersey on the green carpet of MetLife Stadium today, despite not being in the traditional eleven.

The Brazilian forward was last injured on the field on May 17. He suffered a calf muscle problem in Santos FC's loss to Curitiba that day. That was the star's last match before joining the national team camp. Although he was out of the field due to injury, football analysts believe that his presence in the team's first match will provide additional motivation to the Seleção camp.