November 15, (THEWILL) – Brazil head coach, Fernando Diniz, has provided an update on the fitness of Arsenal striker, Gabriel Jesus, who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury. Jesus sustained the injury during Arsenal’s 2-1 UEFA Champions League victory over Sevilla last month, and has since missed the Gunners’ last five matches across all competitions.
Despite being sidelined at club level, Jesus was named in Brazil’s squad for their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina. While Jesus was able to take part in some warm-up exercises with the team, he has not returned to full training. As a result, Jesus will not feature in Brazil’s match against Colombia on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference, Diniz defended his decision to call up the injured Jesus. “My concern is Gabriel. We brought him here for some reasons and it was important to him. I trust the player and him being here I take satisfaction.” Diniz remains optimistic that Jesus could be fit to face Argentina next week if he continues to progress in his recovery over the coming days.
The update from Diniz indicates that Arsenal are taking a cautious approach with Jesus’ return, keen to avoid any setbacks as he works his way back from a troublesome hamstring issue. Jesus initially sustained a knee injury at last year’s World Cup, undergoing two operations, before picking up this latest thigh problem.
With Jesus still not ready to return to action, Arsenal will be hoping the extra rest over the international break will allow the Brazilian striker to regain full fitness ahead of a hectic run of fixtures throughout the busy winter period.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
