"God bless your life, brother" - Arsenal star Gabriel Jesus reacts to Neymar Jr's injury news on social media
Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus has publicly voiced his concern and support for Brazilian teammate Neymar Jr., who recently suffered a devastating injury. Jesus was on the field when Neymar was stretchered off, visibly distraught, during Brazil's 2-0 defeat against Uruguay in a World Cup qualifying match.
The gravity of the situation came into focus when Al-Hilal broke the grim news on Twitter that their high-profile summer signing had been sidelined with "a tear in the cruciate ligament and cartilage." Gabriel Jesus took to Instagram to send a poignant message to his injured compatriot.
Jesus wrote on his Instagram story:
“God bless your life, brother. May it be a time of reflection in your life, and may you come back even stronger.”
At 31, Neymar is at a crossroads. This debilitating injury could potentially rule him out of the upcoming Copa America—a tournament where Brazil would sorely miss his flair and creativity.
Neymar's ACL nightmare: Al-Hilal confirm catastrophic injury for superstar forward
The Saudi Pro League's marquee summer signing has been confirmed to have ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament. The development was confirmed by the club after he was carried off the field during Brazil's 2-0 loss to Uruguay on Tuesday evening.
Neymar was spotted with a leg brace post-match, and the gravity of the situation was confirmed when the club wrote on social media:
"The medical tests Neymar underwent, confirmed the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus tear injury in his knee, he will be going through surgery and then a treatment program that will be determined later. Return Stronger @NeymarJr [blue heart emoji]"
Having been the most expensive acquisition in the Saudi Pro League this past summer, he has had a less-than-ideal start with Al-Hilal. The Brazilian maestro was still nursing a previous knock when he joined the team, delaying his debut until just last month. He found the back of the net for the first time in Al-Hilal colors during an AFC Champions League match against FC Nassaji on October 3.
However, his time in Saudi Arabia has come to a temporary halt with only five appearances and a solitary goal to his name. Given the severity of an ACL injury, the likelihood of him missing the remainder of the season is alarmingly high. It is also a setback for Al-Hilal, who were pinning their hopes on his star power to propel them to new heights.