Injured star Neymar returned to Brazil's training camp in Teresopolis on Thursday for the first time since breaking a vertebrae in his back which ended his World Cup.
Neymar was able to walk unaided to greet his teammates, who were training at the time of his arrival, and he will accompany the team to their third place playoff match against the Netherlands on Saturday.
Without their top goalscorer, the hosts' hopes of winning the tournament for a sixth time on home soil were crushed as they were thrashed 7-1 by Germany on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old had been recovering at his home since suffering the injury in the latter stages of Brazil's 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia last Friday.
Neymar's club side Spanish giants Barcelona confirmed that their medical staff had visited the player and remain hopeful he will be fit for the start of the new La Liga season on August 23.
"The player is recovering well and he'll continue his recovery in Barcelona starting on August 5," said a club statement.
Source: AFP
