October 18, (THEWILL) – Brazil star Neymar was forced to leave the field in tears during his nation’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Tuesday, after sustaining a serious-looking knee injury.
The 31-year-old fell awkwardly and immediately signalled for medical help after being tackled from behind by Uruguay’s Nicolas de la Cruz in the 44th minute. He writhed in evident pain as his concerned teammates gathered around him.
After receiving treatment for several minutes, Neymar eventually left the pitch on a stretcher, covering his face with his hands. Sources from the Brazilian Football Association later indicated the forward had suffered a severe sprain of his left knee.
Tests will now be conducted to determine if any ligament damage was sustained in the concerning incident. At halftime, Brazil were trailing 1-0 in the crucial World Cup qualifier in Montevideo.
The injury will raise fresh fears over Neymar’s injury record and his participation in Brazil’s remaining CONMEBOL qualifiers ahead of the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
