RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Neymar gave Brazil an injury scare ahead of their final 2018 World Cup qualifiers by limping off the pitch during a team training session on Monday.

Neymar appeared to suffer a knock to his right foot while disputing a ball with fellow forward Diego Tardelli at Brazil's Granja Comary training base in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil team officials later played down the incident, saying the 25-year-old was not expected to last the entire session.

Just 16 players took part in Brazil training on Monday with eight others due to arrive after long-haul flights from Europe on Tuesday.

The five-time World Cup winners will play Bolivia in La Paz on Thursday and Chile in Sao Paulo five days later.

Brazil are already guaranteed a place in Russia next year and lead the South American zone's CONMEBOL standings with 37 points from 16 matches.