Brazilian superstar Neymar is reportedly out of the World Cup after sustaining a severe back injury when Colombia’s Juan Zuniga kneed him in the last moments of the dramatic quarterfinals match. With everything on the line, and as Brazil tried to hang on to the 2-1 score, Neymar was violently hit in the back.
According to reports currently crossing the wires, Neymar is out of the World Cup. At the very least, there are serious doubts whether or not the talented striker will be able to play in the semifinal against Germany on Tuesday.
This is a devastating blow, not only for the injured player, but for the Verde Amarela, who hopes to avenge the 1950 Maracanazo, when Brazil shockingly lost to Uruguay in the final.
Both the AP and AFP are now saying that Neymar is out of the 2014 World Cup. The news is spreading on Twitter like wildfire as people start to realize that the images seen at the end of the match against Colombia proved to be their worst nightmare.
Neymar ruled out of World Cup after being injured in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia http://t.co/Z6U8FAXUAE pic.twitter.com/QHn20y2Ekj
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 4, 2014
HUGE Brazil Blow: Neymar is ruled out of the rest of the World Cup with fractured vertebrae http://t.co/JjtT6ufx2m pic.twitter.com/vgYA4BRrIg
— 101 Great Goals (@102greatgoals) July 4, 2014
Neymar OUT of World Cup with broken back after suffering injury in Brazil’s quarter-final victory over Colombia… http://t.co/beABNk8P0P
— Got to Go Brazil (@VixBrazil) July 4, 2014
The BBC is reporting Brazil’s team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, told Brazil’s SportTV that Neymar is out for the remainder of the World Cup. But, despite the shocking news, there is some relief for those worried about Neymar’s condition:
“Unfortunately, he’s not going to be able to play. It’s not serious in the sense that it doesn’t need surgery, but he’ll need to immobilize it to recover.”
Lasmar added that he expected Neymar’s recovery to take, at the minimum, a few weeks, and by that time, the World Cup will be over. The forward was already feeling the effects of an injury he suffered in the round of 16 match against Chile.
During Friday’s quarterfinal, Colombia defender Juan Zuniga rammed Neymar hard in the back, and he landed on the field in obvious distress. He was later carried off the field on a stretcher, and Scolari expressed dismay that Colombia wasn’t even charged with a foul or yellow card.
With Neymar out of the World Cup, Germany will have the advantage to advance to the final as a weakened Brazil takes the field. But the match remains to be played, and as host, Brazil is still the favorite.
[Image via Twitter ]