World Cup 2014 News and Roster: Neymar Out of Tournament, Colombia’s Juan Zuniga Receiving Death Threats
Brazil star forward Neymar will not play for the rest of the 2014 FIFA World Cup after sustaining a broken vertebra during their 2-1 win against Colombia in their quarterfinal match on Friday.
Neymar, who has scored four goals in the 2014 World Cup, went down in the 88th minute of the match after a clumsy tackle from Colombia's Juan Zuniga. The 22-year-old forward went down screaming in pain while holding his back and was stretchered off the pitch in tears.
Brazil's team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar announced that Selecao's talisman sustained fractured third vertebra in the lumbar region of his back. But while no surgery is required, Neymar won't be able to return even if Brazil reach the final of the tournament.
"It is a benign fracture," Lasmar said via ESPN FC. "This news is not easy, but he will not be available at this World Cup. The fracture does not require surgery. There will be a conservative treatment; he will need physiotherapy and comfort to ease the pain."
And after the extent of Neymar's injury was revealed, Zuniga immediately became public enemy No. 1 in Brazil as he became target of hateful and racist tweets.
"Zuniga better have a helicopter on top of that hotel he is in or he might just be eaten alive by all the angry Brazilians," a Twitter user with username @Heshamhov posted.
"Wanna see Brazilians being disgustingly racist and wanting someone dead? Just search for 'Zuniga preto'. Gross," another Twitter user named Lucas Resende posted on his account.
Most of the hate tweets are suggesting that Zuniga should not be allowed to leave Brazil alive for what he did while also being labelled as 'Macaco,' which means 'Monkey' in Portuguese.
When asked about the issue of intentionally hurting the Brazilian star, Zuniga maintained that he did not intend to hurt Neymar with his late-game tackle.
"I wasn't planning to do something evil. I was simply trying to do my best to serve my country," Zuniga said.
Brazil will have to make adjustments in their upcoming semi-final tie with Germany on Tuesday
Brazil defender Thiago Silva will also not play as he is set to serve suspension for picking up his second yellow card in the tournament.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of latinpost.com