With only seven months until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Neymar has suffered a meniscus injury in his left knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season for Santos.
The Brazil international just recently returned from a hamstring injury and made four consecutive appearances for the São Paulo club before complaining of discomfort in his knee following Santos’ 1–1 draw with Mirassol on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Neymar then sat out of Monday’s 1-1 draw at Internacional as a precaution, but what he and Santos hoped would be a minor injury is now a more serious issue plaguing the same knee that needed surgery to repair an ACL tear and a torn meniscus back in 2023.
The latest injury is the forward’s fourth setback since joining Santos in January. Neymar made 25 appearances and scored seven goals in his second stint with his boyhood club, but he will not be able to help Juan Pablo Vojvoda’s side in its final three games of the season, per .
Santos currently sit 17th in Brazil’s Serie A with 38 points from 35 matches. Atop the relegation zone, the club is just one point away from safety, making their upcoming matches all the more important. Without Neymar, though, the Brazilian outfit will have to dig deep to stay in the top flight.
