It hasn’t been an easy year for Neymar Jr., as he shared recently. On October 17 of last year, the Brazilian star suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus injury in his left knee, which required surgery. Now, after more than a year on the sidelines, Neymar broke down while talking about his injury and the long road to recovery.
In a video produced by NR Sports titled Amor ao Futebol (Love for Soccer), Neymar reflected on one of the highlights of his career last year: breaking Pelé’s record as Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals. “I would never imagined that I would surpass Pele’s number of goals in the National Team. He’s Pele, you know? I never imagined that in my life.“
He went on to talk about how the injury struck at such an unfortunate time, both in his career and personal life. “I was living a wonderful moment in my life. Because this objective, my arrival to Al Hilal, the birth of my daughter… It was all adding it up to make up for a great year, but then this happened,” he said, referring to the injury.
When remembering the injury as a moment of ‘huge pain’ Neymar couldn’t hold his feelings about how he’s been battling with this injury. “What I love most in life is playing football. I suffer with each day I stay away. This is what hurts me the most,” said the Brazilian while tears were running down his eyes.
Neymar Jr. of Brazil reacts after being injured during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Uruguay and Brazil at Centenario Stadium on October 17, 2023 in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Neymar has been through the toughest injury of his career, even more challenging than the fractured vertebra he endured during the 2014 World Cup. Despite the difficulties, Neymar emphasized the importance of the people he cherishes most. “But my focus is here. The most important persons in my life, my friends, my family and football. I get back up every time I get injured. But I don’t come back halfway,” he ended his message.
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When will Neymar play again?
In recent days, various reports have surfaced regarding Neymar’s situation, but the general consensus is that the Brazilian star will soon be back on the field. Al Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus confirmed in a press conference on Friday that Neymar will travel with the team for Monday’s AFC Champions League match against Al Ain.
“Neymar will travel with the team to the United Arab Emirates. He is fully recovered and has returned to training with the group. We’ll see if things continue to progress positively for him to be included in the match against Al Ain. If all goes well, he’ll be on the roster,” said Jesus to the press.
If Neymar plays in Monday’s game at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, it will mark 370 days since his last match and the end of a long and painful recovery. His return will be crucial for both Al Hilal and the Brazil national team, who are considering calling him up for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in November.
