The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced on Wednesday (18) that striker Neymar Júnior suffered a serious injury to his left knee during Brazil's defeat to Uruguay. The player tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and also damaged his meniscus. The injury occurred during the fourth round of South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which took place at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo.
The diagnosis was confirmed after clinical and imaging tests carried out on Wednesday. Neymar's injury occurred in the 44th minute of the first half, when the striker suffered a sprained knee and had to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
Neymar will undergo surgery to correct the injuries, but the date has not yet been set. The Brazilian national team's medical department, under the supervision of Dr Rodrigo Lasmar, together with Al Hilal, the player's club, are in constant contact and aligned to guarantee the player's recovery.
As a result, Neymar will miss Brazil's next South American qualifiers against Colombia, scheduled for 16 November at the Estadio Metropolitano de Barranquilla, and Argentina, five days later at the Maracanã.
