Neymar, recovering from a serious left knee injury, visited his "friends" on the Brazilian national team in Los Angeles to wish them "all the luck in the world" for the Copa América in the United States, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) reported on Monday.

The Al-Hilal forward had dinner with the Canarinha squad on Sunday night, who are set to debut in the tournament against Costa Rica at the SoFi Stadium on Monday. Group D also includes Paraguay and Colombia.

"It was great to see my teammates again. I came to give them a hug before their Copa América debut. I was warmly welcomed, as always. They are my friends. I love them. Feeling the national team atmosphere again is very nice. I missed it," Neymar told the CBF's official media.

Neymar, who is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus tear in his left knee since October, will miss out on wearing the number 10 jersey for Brazil in the U.S., just as he did in 2019 when Brazil won their ninth Copa América title at Maracanã.

The former Santos, FC Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain player is expected to return to play in September and is currently on vacation, but he remains committed to his rehabilitation process.