Update: Neymar is set to miss Brazil’s second group stage match and could be sidelined even longer. Scans confirmed the sprain, likely a grade 1-2 in severity. If Neymar does play in the next two weeks, he will come with a very High Injury Risk and won’t be playing at 100%.
Neymar was substituted with 11 minutes remaining in the game against Serbia. An emotional Neymar
looked close to tears as he sat on the bench, he was seen hobbling and his ankle badly swollen.
The Brazil coach, Tite, has insisted that Neymar will play again in this World Cup.
“Don’t worry, Neymar will play in the World Cup,” he said. “He will keep playing, you can be sure
about that.”
The Brazil team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, confirmed that Neymar had a “direct trauma” on his right
ankle after being tackled.
The 30-year-old is set to undergo further tests to identify the significance of the injury.
Rodrigo Lasmar said: “Neymar had a sprain in his right ankle, a direct trauma when his opponent’s
knee made a movement causing the sprain. “He had a little swelling in his ankle, we started the treatment with ice on the bench and he has now followed the physiotherapy treatment. There is no scheduled imaging exam. If there is a need, we will. But that will be decided by the measure of his evaluation tomorrow. The expectation is observation. Anything we talk about evolution, his sequel, is premature. We do not have any
answers, it is important to wait.”
By video this appeared to be a standard low ankle sprain (aka a lateral ankle sprain, not a high ankle sprain). If it is a grade 1, meaning there is minimal damage to the ligaments, he could play in their next match, but he won’t be 100%. A grade 2 would certainly sideline him for a few weeks, and it would take around 4 weeks to fully heal.
If Neymar is cleared for Brazil’s next group stage match, his ankle certainly will not be fully healed yet.
