Supporters have been left with serious concerns that Neymar could be ruled out for a period of the World Cup as the Brazilian was forced off in the second half of their Group G clash with Serbia.
The Paris Saint Germain man, who was the most fouled player on the pitch, seemingly hurt his ankle after a sliding challenge from Serbian centre-back Nikola Milenkovic in the second half, and needed to be replaced 10 minutes from time.
He was then spotted on the bench with his shirt over his head, with fears that he could suffer a repeat of the 2014 tournament and miss a key part of the World Cup for the Selecao.
And, the exact moment of impact was later discovered, with Neymar’s right ankle having been caught under the sliding Milenkovic.
Brazil’s attacking depth is deep, with all of Rodrygo, Anthony, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli coming off the bench in the second half, but Neymar’s position in the team, and Tite’s insistence on building a team around the 30-year-old, means that he is one of few players in the side that can be considered ‘irreplacable’.
With three points on the board, Brazil now need just one more win from their remaining games against Switzerland and Cameroon to advance to the knockout stages, where a potential clash with Portugal, Ghana, South Korea or Uruguay awaits.
For Neymar, however, there is set to be an anxious wait as he waits on the extent of his injury, and while his potential absence is unlikely to dent Brazil’s chances as tournament favourites, it would be a massive personal blow to Brazil’s talisman.
