Star Brazilian forward Neymar Jr suffered a serious injury during the country's FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier game against Uruguay on Tuesday, October 17. Neymar suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) to his left knee and was stretchered off in the first half at Centenario Stadium in Montevideo.
CBF, Brazil's Football Confederation, released an update on Neymar's injury on Thursday and confirmed that the player will go under surgery. The legendary forward is unlikely to return to pitch this year and will be missing Hilal's upcoming AFC Champions League away match against Mumbai City FC scheduled on November 6.
"Striker Neymar Jr. of the Brazilian team and Al-Hilal, from Saudi Arabia, underwent clinical and imaging tests this Wednesday, which confirmed the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee," Brazil's Football Confederation said in a statement. "The striker will undergo a surgical procedure, on a date yet to be defined, to correct the injuries. The Brazilian National Team's medical department, under the supervision of Dr. Rodrigo Lasmar, and Al Hilal, are in permanent contact and aligned in the player's recovery."
Neymar moved to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain during the summer transfer window. Indian cricket fans were triggered when Mumbai City FC were drawn with Al Hilal in the same group for the AFC Champions League 2023-24 and were anticipating witnessing Neymar live in India for the first time.
Mumbai City also shifted their official home stadium venue from Pune's Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex to Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Sports Stadium to fulfil fans' demands for more tickets. But now fans are likely to go through disappointment but will get an opportunity to witness global stars Ruben Neves, Malcolm, Kalidou Koulibaly and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic playing in India for the first time.
