The Brazilian star Neymar Jr. is arguably one of the most technically gifted players in the world, even when the winger is pursuing his club endeavors in the Saudi Pro Leagues. Apart from his footballing excellence, he is also injury prone. It’s fair to say that injuries have caused damage to his illustrious career to some extent.
Neymar suffered another horrific injury while on national duty during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Just when he had started settling in with his Saudi side, this injury caused further distress. It is believed that Neymar Jr might return before the commencement of the Copa America.
Neymar Jr underwent ACL and meniscus surgery
During last month’s October international break, Neymar Jr. picked up a severe injury and was forced off for an early substitution. Eventually, Brazil lost the World Cup qualifier fixture against the hosts, Uruguay, 2-0. As a result, Brazil suffered their first defeat in the World Cup qualifiers.
Neymar led his side to the top of the qualifiers table before sustaining the injury, with 2 wins in their first 3 fixtures, remaining undefeated. In addition, the Al-Hilal star, Neymar had surpassed the legend Pele to become Brazil’s all-time men’s top scorer after netting a goal in their previous World Cup qualifier against Bolivia.
The club confirmed the anterior cruciate ligament tear (ACL) injury to their number ten, hinting that the former PSG talisman is set to be sidelined for a prolonged period of time. The 31-year-old underwent surgery to repair a tear in his left knee.
After undergoing surgery, Neymar shared a couple of Instagram stories, posting a picture of his two children, his son, and his newly born baby, ‘Mavie,’ with the message ‘It is all going to work out fine.’ He also expressed gratitude for the recovery wishes, sharing a selfie showing a thumbs-up.
When is Neymar Jr going to return to soccer?
The Brazilian forward successfully underwent an ACL and meniscus surgery on Thursday at a hospital in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The former Barcelona star is expected to be back on the field within the next 6 to 12 months, although no specific estimates have been reported yet. Brazilian medical staff assume he will recover before the Copa America in June 2024.
Since Neymar’s sensational switch from PSG to Al-Hilal this summer for a huge transfer fee of €100 million, the forward has only been featured in 5 matches for the Riyadh side. He made his debut as a substitute in a 6-1 win against Al-Riyaadh and has managed a single goal and 3 assists so far. Now, his recovery could keep him sidelined for the rest of the season for his new club.
