Neymar had an arthroscopy on his left knee to address recurring pain
31-year-old remains determined to play for Brazil at the FIFA World Cup 2026
He scored eight goals in 19 Serie A appearances for Santos this season
Brazilian superstar Neymar has undergone minor surgery on his left knee, his Serie A club Santos confirmed on Monday, as the 33-year-old continues his battle to overcome persistent fitness issues that have disrupted his return to competitive football.
The forward had earlier spoken about his desire to address the recurring pain that has ruled him out of several matches this season. The procedure, an arthroscopy, was performed by Rodrigo Lasmar, a specialist who also works closely with the Brazilian national team.
Santos confirmed that the operation was minimally invasive and aimed at treating problems inside the knee joint.
Road Back And World Cup 2026 Ambition
Despite his ongoing injury struggles, Neymar remains vocal about his ambition to represent Brazil at the next FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11, 2026.
Speaking at a music event in Sao Paulo last weekend, the striker said he still hopes to play in the tournament – and even score in the final.
“We will do the impossible to bring this cup to Brazil,” Neymar said. “In July, you can remind us of it. Hi, Ancelotti, helps us out!”
Brazil’s new head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who was appointed in May, has yet to include Neymar in his squad selections.
Neymar’s recovery has been a long and challenging process since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in October 2023 during World Cup qualifying. He returned to his boyhood club Santos in January, but managed to feature in only 19 of the 38 rounds of Brazil’s Serie A, which began in April.
During that spell, Neymar scored eight goals, with his strikes in the final rounds proving crucial as Santos successfully avoided relegation.
(With AP Inputs)
