World Cup 2022: Neymar to Miss Brazil’s Next Two Games Due to Injury

Five-time World Cup champion Brazil is in worry mode now as its biggest star, Neymar, will miss the team's next two games.

Paris St-Germain forward Neymar, who is among the biggest names in Brazil's all-star roster, suffered an ankle injury during Thursday's 2-0 victory against Serbia after a heavy tackle by Nikola Milenkovic, BBC reported.

Brazil's next opponents will be Switzerland and the African team Cameroon. However, Neymar has reportedly been ruled out of those next two World Cup matches.

Brazil's Victory Against Serbia During World Cup Opener Came at a Huge Cost

The Brazil-Serbia match was highly-anticipated as Brazil was one of the teams poised to win it all. However, the entire game was plagued with fouls, costing Brazil not one but two injured players.

According to ESPN, Juventus star Danilo was also injured in the game against the Serbians. Like Neymar, he could also miss the next two games against the Swiss and the Cameroonians.

"Neymar and Danilo started treatment yesterday immediately after the game," said Brazil doctor Rodrigo Lasmar. "This morning, they were reevaluated."

The doctor noted that tests showed a lateral ligament injury on Neymar's right ankle, along with a small bone edema. On the other hand, Danilo's left ankle suffered a medial ligament injury. According to Lasmar, the treatment for both players is still ongoing.

"We can already say that we will not have the two players for the next game, but they remain in treatment with our goal of trying to get them back in time for this competition," the doctor noted.

As reported, Neymar was replaced late in the game after getting fouled. Even after Brazil pulled off the 2-0 victory, he reportedly left the match in tears. Injuries have plagued his World Cup career, the last one being in 2014 when he suffered a back injury in the quarter-final victory over Colombia, ruling him out of the 7-1 semifinal defeat by Germany, Al Jazeera reported.

Injuries also hampered his dreams of winning a World Cup in Russia in 2018. He reportedly suffered a sprained right ankle that affected his foot's fifth metatarsal.

Brazil Aims to End 20-Year World Cup Drought

Brazil has the best record of any country in the history of the World Cup. They have 74 victories in 110 matches, 126 goal difference, 237 points, and only 18 losses coming into Qatar. They have also won the entire tournament five times, making it the most successful national team in the history of the World Cup.

However, the last time the team won a tournament was over 20 years ago or in 2002, in the Japan/Korea World Cup. Since then, the Brazilians have suffered heartbreak after heartbreak, including that 7-1 defeat at home against Germany in 2014.

For this year's World Cup in Qatar, they are coming in hungrier than ever and seeking to end that drought. However, analysts and soccer fans alike question if they could end that drought and once again cement their country's status as the best in the world.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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