Neymar sidelined by injury again | OneFootball

Neymar injured his right thigh again and will miss the classic match against São Paulo next Sunday for the Brasileirao, according to Santos.

The 33-year-old forward felt pain in his thigh during Thursday's practice and, after undergoing tests, the medical team confirmed an injury to the rectus femoris muscle. This is the fourth injury to his right leg since his return to the club. The first was in February and the second in April, which caused him to take a month off. In August, he suffered an edema that kept him out for two weeks.

Therefore, the Brazilian coach, Carlo Ancelotti, chose to leave him out of the Canarinha's squad and warned that if he wants to play in the 2026 World Cup, Neymar must be in good shape, just like the rest of the team players.

Key Moment

This absence comes at a crucial time: Santos is just one point away from the relegation zone after 22 rounds of the tournament, of which the star only played thirteen, scoring three goals.

Neymar had suffered a ligament rupture in October 2023, in a match between Brazil and Uruguay at the Centenario for the Qualifiers. It took him more than a year to recover, and upon his return, coach Jorge Jesus did not positively evaluate his performance at Al Hilal, leading the Saudi club to part ways with the former Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain player.

Neymar had been on Ancelotti's preliminary list on the road to the 2026 World Cup. This injury is a new setback for his return, with the friendly matches in October fast approaching, against South Korea (10/10 in Seoul), and against Japan (14/10, in Tokyo). Will the Italian consider him?

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