Brazil fears for the nation’s ankles: Neymar’s tears after substitution

After being substituted against Serbia, Brazil’s superstar Neymar sat down on the bench and cried: he was hit again. The 30-year-old injured his ankle in the 67th minute and only left the field in the 80th minute.

With a big swelling on his right leg, Neymar limped into the dressing room while his colleagues celebrated the successful start of the World Cup with the fans.

The Paris kicker traveled to Qatar to lead the Selecao to the World Cup title at the third attempt. But now the next Neymar drama is threatening at a major event. Like in 2014 at the home World Cup, when he injured his back in the quarter-finals against Colombia (2-1) and missed the semi-finals against Germany (1-7). Four years later, three months before the World Cup in Russia, a broken foot threw him back, he did not travel to the tournament in top condition, and was knocked out in the quarter-finals against eventual World Cup third-placed Belgium (1-2). And in 2019, when Brazil won the South American championship and thus their last major title for the first time since 2007, Neymer was absent due to an ankle injury suffered a few days before the tournament.

This is how Brazil is working on the Neymar comeback

National team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar explains how the PSG star should now get fit again. “We started treatment on the bench during the game. The ankle was cooled so that the swelling didn’t get any bigger.” The physiotherapists in the team quarters are now taking care of the “ankle of the nation” around the clock. It is continuously cooled so that the swelling goes down. X-rays should also provide information about the severity of the injury. Neymar is also given anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain.

Neymar wrote on Instagram that night: “Difficult game, but it was important to win. Congratulations to the team. The first step is taken. There are still six to go.” The only question is whether the superstar will be there on the pitch…