Injured Real Madrid forward likely to return in early 2027 – report | OneFootball

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo Goes continues to face a long and arduous road to recovery, with the Brazilian international not expected to feature competitively for the club until early 2027, as per a report from AS.

The 25-year-old attacker remains in rehabilitation following a devastating knee injury that prematurely ended his 2025/26 campaign and cruelly shattered his dreams of representing Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The nightmare in Getafe

The catastrophic setback occurred on 2 March 2026, during a La Liga fixture against Getafe at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.

Having entered the pitch as a second-half substitute to spark an attack in a match Real Madrid eventually lost 1-0, Rodrygo suffered the injury but stayed on the field until the end of 90 minutes.

Comprehensive medical scans subsequently confirmed the worst fears of the medical staff: a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) accompanied by a tear to the lateral meniscus in his right knee.

Rodrygo suffered the injury against Getafe. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The Brazilian underwent successful surgery on 10 March, performed by the renowned Dr. Manuel Leyes. But the dual nature of the injury has necessitated an extremely cautious, extended recovery timeline of approximately 10 to 12 months.

A year of missed opportunities

The timing of the injury proved devastating.

Rodrygo was forced to watch from the sidelines as Real Madrid navigated the business end of the 2025/26 season, missing key fixtures including the Champions League encounters against the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich and the decisive La Liga El Clasico.

More painfully, the injury ruled the forward out of the entire World Cup tournament in North America.

Return unlikely till early 2027. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Looking ahead, his absence will continue to be heavily felt. The winger is guaranteed to miss the entire first half of the 2026/27 campaign under new manager Jose Mourinho.

If his rehabilitation proceeds without setbacks, the most optimistic projection sees him reintegrating into partial team training in early 2027.

For now, the Brazilian international continues to work hard on his recovery at the club facilities, while his teammates undergo pre-season training.

Before the injury, Rodrygo had registered three goals and six assists in 27 appearances during a difficult individual season.