Arrascaeta seen with arm in a sling in Uruguay squad photo before wrist op | OneFootball

Uruguay published an image of the No. 10 wearing a sling and a special message for Arrascaeta

The Uruguay national team released the first image of Arrascaeta on Monday (28) after the fracture in his left wrist. In the photo, the Flamengo midfielder appears with his arm immobilized, supported by a sling, and gives a thumbs-up.

In the caption, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) wrote only “Volverás,” that is, “you will return” in Portuguese. In the image, the player is wearing La Celeste’s No. 10 shirt. The gesture conveys calm, but the diagnosis is worrying. After all, Flamengo have already confirmed that the injury requires surgery, and the No. 10 will miss the team’s Libertadores semifinals.

Arrascaeta scheduled for surgery in Rio de Janeiro

According to reporting by Coluna do Fla, Arrascaeta is expected to land in Rio de Janeiro at around 4 p.m. Brasília time this Wednesday (30). Then, the Uruguayan is expected to undergo wrist surgery on Thursday (01), probably around lunchtime.

In short, Flamengo doctor Fernando Sassaki will perform the procedure and oversee the Uruguayan midfielder’s recovery. Before that, the club’s medical department will carry out an in-person reassessment of the player.

Right after the friendly, the club had released an initial statement about Arrascaeta’s forearm trauma. Hours later, Flamengo confirmed the diagnosis in a new medical bulletin:

How long will Arrascaeta be out?

Flamengo have not yet announced an official recovery timetable. Even so, the press is already working with estimates based on the history of this type of injury.

Lance! points to an initial forecast of six weeks, which could be reduced depending on how his body responds. Meanwhile, Metrópoles reported an absence of between four and six weeks.

In any scenario, the midfielder will miss Flamengo’s two matches against Estudiantes (ARG), scheduled for October 15 and 22. To play in the first leg, he would have only 17 days of recovery, according to Lance!.

On the other hand, the final appears to be a more realistic target. The Libertadores final is scheduled for November 28 in Uruguay. According to Coluna do Fla, the club is considering the possibility of having the No. 10 back only for a potential final.

Before that, the team face Santos on October 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Vila Belmiro in the Brasileirão. Then they host Fluminense on the 11th at 5:30 p.m. at the Maracanã.

Injury happened after a goal and an assist

The fracture occurred in the second half of Uruguay’s 4-1 win over South Korea in Seoul. Arrascaeta slipped on his own after controlling the ball and put his body weight on his left hand.

In severe pain, the midfielder left the pitch in the 32nd minute of the second half, as shown in the video of the incident. Rodrigo Zalazar came on in his place.

Up to that point, the No. 10 had been the standout player of the match. In the 13th minute, he set up Darwin Núñez for the first goal. Then, in the 27th, he doubled the lead after a pass from Maxi Araújo.

The result marked Diego Forlán’s first win in charge of La Celeste. For Arrascaeta, however, the strong performance ended in the medical department.

Arrascaeta’s third injury in 2026

The wrist problem adds to Arrascaeta’s run of injuries this season. On April 29, the Uruguayan fractured his right collarbone precisely against Estudiantes (ARG) in the Libertadores group stage.

Later, during preparations for the World Cup, he suffered an injury to his right calf. As a result, even though he was called up, the midfielder did not play for Uruguay at the World Cup.

Hours after the latest diagnosis, Arrascaeta spoke out on social media. In his Instagram stories, the No. 10 wrote:

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.