The Brazilian forward was fouled nine times during today’s match, approximately four times more than any other player at this year’s World Cup. Neymar was substituted in the 80th minute after he was tackled by Serbian player Nikola Milenkovic and suffered a sprain to his right ankle. Photos taken of the player leaving the field revealed a heavily swollen ankle, and the Brazilian appeared to be in extreme pain as he joined his teammates on the benches.
Brazil’s second match is scheduled for Monday, and the team’s head coach, Tite, expressed that he is confident that Neymar will continue to play in their upcoming matches. Reports state that the player’s ankle injury will be reassessed on Friday. In the 2014 World Cup, Neymar suffered an injury to his back, and the player missed out on their following game with Germany. Brazil went on to lose 7-1 in the semifinals against the European team.
Brazil has five World Cup titles under their belt, but the coveted trophy has evaded Neymar during his last two appearances in the competition. The 30-year-old has scored a total of 75 goals for the Brazilian national team, only two short of Pelé’s scoring record.
