Doctor says Brazil’s Neymar missed final World Cup group game with ankle injury

Neymar will miss Brazil’s final World Cup group game with a right ankle injury, the team doctor said on Tuesday.

Rodrigo Lasmar says the Brazilian striker will not face Cameroon in Friday’s Group G game in Qatar.

Neymar missed Monday’s game against Switzerland, when Brazil won 1-0 to secure their place in the round of 16.

Lasmar didn’t give a timeline for Neymar’s return, and didn’t say if the player would return at all. Brazil’s coaching staff, however, reiterated on Tuesday that the Paris Saint-Germain striker is set to play again at the tournament in Qatar.

Neymar, who injured his ankle ligaments in Brazil’s opener against Serbia, was the only player who did not go to Stadium 974 to watch the game against Switzerland. He stayed at the team hotel for physiotherapy treatment.

Lasmar said Neymar also had a fever on Monday, which « was under control » and would not affect his ankle treatment.

Lasmar said right-back Danilo, who is also nursing an ankle injury, and left-back Alex Sandro, who had to leave Monday’s game with a muscle injury, will also not play against Cameroon.

Danilo was injured in the team’s opener last week and also missed the game against Switzerland. Alex Sandro was injured in the final minutes of Brazil’s victory over the Swiss and was replaced by Alex Telles. Tuesday’s tests showed he had a left hip muscle injury, Lasmar said.

Tite replaced Neymar with Fred and Danilo with Eder Militúo in Monday’s starting line-up.

Neymar, who is bidding for his first major title with Brazil, is two goals shy of Pelé’s all-time record of 77 with the national team.

His right ankle also kept him out of the 2019 Copa America in Brazil. Five years earlier, he had been knocked out of the World Cup in Brazil after injuring his back in the quarter-finals against Colombia.