Neymar Out for 2025 Season with Meniscus Injury

Santos, Brazil — Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. suffered a meniscus injury in his left knee, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2025 season and casting serious doubt on his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to medical reports confirmed on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old forward, who rejoined his boyhood club Santos in January after a stint with Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal, first reported discomfort during a 1-1 draw against Mirassol on November 19. Despite completing the full match, where he scored in the fourth minute to end a three-month goal drought, Neymar sat out Santos' subsequent 1-1 draw with Internacional on Monday. Tests conducted in Sao Paulo revealed the severity of the injury, the same knee that sustained an anterior cruciate ligament tear in October 2023 while playing for Brazil.

This marks the fourth significant injury for Neymar in 2025, following a left hamstring issue in March, a left thigh strain in April, and a right thigh problem in September. Across 27 appearances in all competitions this year, he has recorded seven goals and three assists, struggling to regain the consistency that defined his time at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.