It has been confirmed that the two-time La Liga champion with Barcelona and five-time Ligue 1 Champion with Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar, will unfortunately be sitting out of the 2024 Copa America competition. During the World Cup qualifying round on October 17, 2023, the Brazilian native suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee during Brazil’s loss to Uruguay (2-0). Shortly after enduring this injury, the star football player had to undergo surgery and will need to adhere to a treatment program in the following months. Team doctors are hoping that Neymar will be healthy at the start of the 2024 season which begins in August.
🚨🇧🇷 Neymar Jr will be OUT of the Copa América 2024, confirms Brazil doctor Lasmar.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 20, 2023
“It’s too early, there's no point skipping steps to recover. Our expectation is that he will be prepared to return at the start of the 2024 European calendar, which is August”, told Rádio 98. pic.twitter.com/DWGwBehzYR
Neymar’s last three seasons as a football player have been interrupted by his numerous injuries. In the 2021-2022 campaign, the Brazilian was forced to sit out for three months because of an ankle injury he endured. Soon after, the star suffered from yet another ankle injury that forced him out of two Brazil matches in the 2022 World Cup. Neymar then returned healthy to Paris Saint-Germain until he suffered from ligament damage in February 2023 to the same ankle, which required surgery, causing him to miss the final months of the football season before moving to Al-Hilal.
The 31-year-old had recently recovered from his long-term ankle injury that he suffered from while playing with Paris Saint-Germain. After four long months of recovery and his move to Al-Hilal, the Brazilian native played in five matches for the Saudi Pro League team and scored one goal before suffering from yet another injury. The Al-Hilal forward was expected to have a remarkable career, but the star cannot catch a break.
Brazil Forward Neymar Responding Very Well After ACL Surgery
— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) November 14, 2023
The player sustained the injury while representing the national team at a 2026 World Cup qualifier. https://t.co/smTxf0jkLw pic.twitter.com/v9IScvCbj7
Neymar was hoping to compete for Brazil in the Copa America which will take place between June 20 and July 14, 2024, but an ACL injury typically takes anywhere between six months to a year to recover from. The Al-Hilal forward cannot escape all these injuries that have been heavily influencing his career over the last three seasons.
Like Eden
Neymar’s recent seasons seem to mimic former Premier League legend Eden Hazard’s final seasons of his career. The Belgium-born player has been widely regarded as one of the most successful and talented forwards to have competed in the Premier League. The 32-year-old had scored 110 goals in 352 games for his team, two Europa Leagues, two Premier League titles, and one FA Cup.
Despite his impressive career as a star player in the Premier League, his four years playing in Spain were a complete disappointment. At the start of his career with Real Madrid, the Belgian native suffered from a hamstring injury, causing his debut to be pushed off until mid-September. This injury was followed by a foot injury that caused the star to miss the entirety of the winter matches. After returning to the team healthy, Hazard injured his fibula and again missed numerous games.
Throughout his four seasons with Real Madrid, Eden Hazard missed over half of the club’s matches each season because of his various injuries. On October 10, 2023, the Belgian football star announced his retirement from the sport following the free agent period.
🚨 Official: Eden Hazard leaves Real Madrid! Contract terminated by mutual agreement.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 3, 2023
“Real Madrid C. F. and Eden Hazard have reached an agreement by which the player is disassociated from the club as of June 30, 2023”, club announces. #Hazard pic.twitter.com/0moZaBUQzK
Hopefully, Neymar’s career takes a turn for the better so the football world can see the star live up to his potential. It will be unfortunate if his career ends similarly to Eden Hazard by having it plagued with numerous injuries. Perhaps the Brazilian native will be able to turn his luck around in the 2024 season and prove that his football career should not be defined by his recent injuries these past three seasons.
