Brazilian superstar Neymar will be out for four to six weeks to recover from the latest injury he suffered while playing for Santos against Atletico Mineiro on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
The 33-year-old sustained a serious knee injury in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023 and has struggled to return to full fitness, though his recent form at Santos was rewarded with a call-up to the Brazil squad in March.
It was Neymar’s first start since a left thigh issue ruled him out of Brazil’s March fixtures and Santos’ Paulista semi-final defeat to Corinthians.
Neymar has 128 caps and a record 79 goals for his country, surpassing Pele's tally of 77.
Neymar admitted he was taken aback by the request from someone widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
After a gap of 502 days, Brazilian superstar Neymar finally found the back of the net when he converted from the spot for Santos in their 3-1 win over Agua Santa in the Sao Paulo State Championship today.
Brazilian superstar Neymar recently moved back to his boyhood club Santos after an underwhelming stint with Saudi Pro League Club Al Hilal.
The Urbano Caldeira stadium erupted in celebration as jubilant and tearful fans lit up their mobile phones to give the striker, who left the club 12 years ago, a hero's welcome before kick-off.
Neymar has been one of the finest players in the world when at the top of his game, a forward with dazzling skill who "understands football as art", as his former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique once said.
The French finance and economy ministry was searched earlier this week as part of a probe into the 2017 transfer of Brazil football superstar Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, a source said to AFP on Thursday.
“Brazil have to learn to move forward without Neymar because he is injured,” Dorival said yesterday
Brazil's top scorer underwent surgery last month after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee on international duty in October.
Despite losing the country's top scorer, Diniz is not expecting a new hero to emerge in a young team brimming with talent set to face Colombia on Friday, 6am Bangladesh Time, and world champions Argentina on Wednesday (6.30am, Bangladesh Time).
Seventeen-year-old rising star Endrick, hailed as one of Brazilian football's great hopes, got his first call-up for national team duty Monday as coach Fernando Diniz seeks to replace injured star Neymar.
Neymar will undergo surgery for the injuries at a "yet-to-be-determined date," the CBF said, after a series of medical exams on the player in Sao Paulo.
Nunez opened the scoring in the 42nd minute with a diving header, and Brazil's night went from bad to worse two minutes later when Neymar went down after tussling for the ball with De la Cruz.
The 31-year-old went down after a tackle from behind by Nicolas de la Cruz in the 44th minute, holding his left leg in pain and calling for medical attention as his team mates looked on anxiously.
Diniz took temporary charge of Brazil when Tite left the role following their quarter-final exit at the World Cup in Qatar and will be replaced by Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti next year
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward, signed in August for a reported 90 million euros ($94 million), grabbed the second in the record Asian champions' win at the Azadi Stadium
