Rio de Janeiro, Nov 3 (EFE). – Brazil’s national team and Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal footballer Neymar underwent a “successful” surgery after suffering a rupture in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee during a recent game, his doctor said.
Nicolas de la Cruz Arcosa (R) of Uruguay fights for the ball with Brazil’s Neymar (L) during a 2026 World Cup qualifier match between Uruguay and Brazil at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 07 October, 2023. EFE-EPA FILE/Gaston Britos
“We were very satisfied with the results. It was a success. He will remain in the hospital for 24 or 48 hours depending on his clinical evolution,” said Brazilian team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, who conducted the surgery, in a brief statement on Thursday.
The specialist did not give any possible date for the player’s recovery and return to football, saying that new information would be disclosed gradually.
The operation for the former Barcelona and PSG player lasted four hours.
Although Lasmar did not give any details, specialists consider that his recovery may require close to eight months, which makes his participation in the 2024 Copa America uncertain.
Neymar suffered the injury during Brazil’s 2-0 loss to Uruguay in their World Cup qualifier in Montevideo on Oct. 17.
Neymar, who broke into tears after the injury, was stretchered off the field and left the stadium on crutches.
He later described the injury as the worst moment of his career.
The Brazilian team doctor has already operated on him on two other occasions, the first in 2018 to treat a fracture in his left foot and the second in February this year to treat an injury to the ligaments in his right ankle.
If it is confirmed that he will be out for eight months, it will be the longest period of injury layoff for the 31-year-old footballer.
He was away from the game for six months this year, between February and August, after undergoing surgery on his ankle.
Neymar, who was announced as Al Hilal in August and has so far only played five games for the Saudi club, scoring just one goal, said he was already focusing on his recovery after knee surgery.
“Everything went well. Thank you for the messages and now focused on recovery,” Neymar said in a post on his Instagram account along with a photograph in which he appears in a hospital bed after his surgery.
The rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus joined the series of injuries he had suffered since 2020 and that have kept him away from the field for at least 400 days. EFE
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