RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil star forward Neymar will not recover from knee surgery in time to play at the 2024 Copa America, national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed on Dec 19.
Brazil’s top scorer underwent an operation in November, after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee while he was on international duty in October.
Lasmar, who carried out the surgery, said the 31-year-old is not expected to be fit until August and they do not intend to take shortcuts in the recovery process for him to play at the June 20-July 14 tournament in the United States.
“There won’t be time. It’s too early. There’s no point skipping steps to recover sooner and taking unnecessary risks,” the doctor told Brazilian radio station Radio 98 FM. “We expect that he will be ready to return at the start of the 2024 season in Europe, which is in August. We need to be patient. Talking about a return before nine months is premature.
“It is very important to have the time it takes for the body to build that ligament. The expectation is that after this time, he will have recovered at a high level.”
Neymar, who has scored 79 goals in 128 appearances for Brazil, joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in August but the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward played only five games as he struggled with muscle injuries.
Brazil have been drawn in Group D for the Copa America with Colombia, Paraguay and a Concacaf qualifier, either Costa Rica or Honduras.
The Selecao are without a head coach following the departure of Tite after the 2022 Qatar World Cup, with Fluminense’s Fernando Diniz in interim charge.
Former Brazilian Football Confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues has previously said that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is the preferred candidate to take the hot seat, after his contract with the Spanish giants ends at the conclusion of this season.
However, the Italian has been non-committal, saying that he wants to stay at Real but at the same time will not rush into anything as he “still has time” to think about a contract extension until the campaign ends.
It was also announced on Dec 19 that Brazil will face Mexico in a pre-tournament friendly on June 8.
The Copa America will be held in the US for the second time, following the centenary edition in 2016. REUTERS
