October 19, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi has sent a message of support to his former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar after the Brazilian suffered a devastating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
As THEWILL reported, Neymar was forced off the pitch in tears during Brazil’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Uruguay, and scans have since confirmed ligament damage that will rule him out for an extended period. The 31-year-old now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines as he embarks on a long road to recovery.
It remains unclear when Neymar will be able to return to competitive action, but the injury could see him miss the 2024 Copa America tournament. Messi, who enjoyed many successful years playing alongside Neymar at Barcelona and recently at Paris Saint-Germain, took to Instagram to send his friend “lots of strength” alongside an image of the pair celebrating a goal together during their time at Camp Nou.
Neymar is expected to be sidelined for several months at the very least, with the potential to be out of action for up to a year. Even if there is an outside chance he could be in recovery in time for next year’s Copa America, which will be held in the United States, Brazil will not want to rush his return and risk any further setbacks.
In the meantime, Neymar can draw comfort from the supportive messages of his former colleague as he embarks on his time in surgery and outside competitive action.
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.
