"It's a very sad moment" - Neymar makes first comments on ACL injury as Al Hilal star faces lengthy time on sidelines
Neymar Junior has shared a message on Instagram after suffering an ACL injury during Brazil's clash against Uruguay on Tuesday (October 17).
The Al-Hilal forward went down clutching his knee after a challenge from Nicolas de la Cruz in Brazil's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier clash against Uruguay. He was devastated and in tears and he had to be stretchered off at the Centenario Stadium.
The Saudi Arabian side have now confirmed that Neymar has torn his ACL as well as meniscus in the left knee. He will undergo surgery and will be out of action for a few months.
The Brazilian ace took to Instagram on Wednesday, expressing his disappointment at the setback:
"It's a very sad moment, the worst. I know I'm strong, but this time, I'm going to need my friends (family and friends) even more. It's not easy to go through injury and surgery. Imagine going through it all again after 4 months of recovery."
He added:
"I have faith, even too much … But I place my strength in God’s hands so that he can renew mine. Thank you for the messages of support and affection."
Brazil, meanwhile, lost the game 2-0 against Uruguay, with Darwin Nunez (42') and De la Cruz (77') scoring for the hosts.
Lionel Messi offers support to Neymar after injury blow
Neymar has received great support from fans, pundits and other players after he suffered another major injury setback on Tuesday. One of the players to share a message of solidarity with the Brazilian was his former teammate and good friend Lionel Messi.
After the Brazilian forward's injury, Messi shared a story on Instagram with a picture of the two players and captioned it:
"Stay Strong"
Messi and Neymar are good friends and shared the pitch at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
They first joined forces after the 31-year-old's move to Barca from Santos in 2013. They played 156 games together for the Spanish side, combining for 56 goals, before Neymar moved to PSG in 2017 for a world record €222 million fee.
Messi joined him at PSG in 2021 and combined for 11 goals in 45 games across competitions. Both players left the Parisians this summer, with Messi moving to Inter Miami and the Brazil international joining Al-Hilal. Neymar has registered one goal and three assists in five games across competitions for the Saudi Arabian side.