Real Madrid and Brazil winger Rodrigo will miss the upcoming World Cup after being diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
The footballer was injured in the match of the 26th round of the Spanish La Liga against Getafe, in which the Madrid club suffered a 0:1 defeat. This was the Brazilian's first appearance on the field after a month-long break caused by a muscle injury.
Rodrigo came on as a substitute in the 54th minute of the game, but 12 minutes later, while trying to accelerate on the left flank, he felt a sharp pain in his right knee. Despite the initial fall, the player managed to play the match until the final whistle.
After the match, Rodrigo underwent tests that revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn lateral meniscus in his right leg. The combined nature of the injury requires surgery and a long recovery.
Rodrigo has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring three goals and providing six assists. Due to the recovery period, which is usually seven to nine months for such injuries, the player will not have time to recover in time for the start of the World Cup.
In the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian national team was placed in Group C, where its opponents were the national teams of Morocco, Haiti and Scotland. The first match of the “seleção” will be played against the Moroccan national team on June 14.