Possible Brazil starter 🇧🇷 ruled out of the Copa, says journalist | OneFootball

The Brazilian National Team is set to lose another key player to injury ahead of the World Cup.

According to journalist Miguel Ángel Díaz, from COPE radio, Éder Militão’s injury is worse than initially thought, and he will not recover in time to play in the World Cup.

The defender will have to undergo surgery and is only expected to return to the pitch at the start of the 2026/27 season with Real Madrid.

Militão was injured last Tuesday (21) against Alavés and had to be substituted near the end of the first half.

According to COPE, Real Madrid’s medical department found that his previous muscle injury, suffered in December in the same area, had reopened. 

The Brazilian defender spent nearly four months recovering and even started in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich.

The match against Alavés was his fifth since the physical issue he suffered in December 2025.

Militão was considered all but certain to be included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for this year’s World Cup, as he can play both as a center-back and as a right-back.

He started for Brazil in the two friendlies during the November FIFA international window and was not called up in March because of the injury he suffered at Real Madrid. 

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

📸 FRANCK FIFE - AFP or licensors