Neymar will not play football again until next season due to a serious ankle surgery. Since joining Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017, the Brazilian star has endured a long series of injuries that will keep him out for four months, ensuring he misses the remainder of the current season.
The forward has already faced a season without appearing in the final stages of key competitions. In his first two years with PSG, a fifth metatarsal issue prevented him from featuring in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Real Madrid in 2018 and Manchester United in 2019. In 2021, an ankle problem kept him off the field during a crucial period. PSG drew 16 against Barcelona and faced Real Madrid in the 2022 round of 16. This season, Neymar will not be on the Allianz stage to try to guide PSG past Bayern in the second leg, marking another season cut short for the Brazilian.
two lost years
Since arriving at Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar has accrued 23 injuries, with five of them in the ankle, leaving him sidelined for extended spells. These injuries, combined with four separate recoveries prescribed by his coaches, translate to nearly 741 days away from competition. As a result, Neymar has not played for more than two full seasons across his five years with the club, missing a total of around 130 matches he would otherwise have played.
Neymar will not play for the rest of the season due to injury.
drawing
Neymar, whose contract was extended by PSG until 2027, joined the club in 2017 after a transfer deal worth 222 million euros. He underwent surgery at a prominent clinic in Doha in the coming hours and earns a net salary of about 40 million euros per season. This season he appeared in 28 matches, contributing 18 goals and 17 assists across those appearances.
Concerns were already raised during the World Cup when the Brazilian suffered another ankle mishap that caused him to miss several matches in Qatar. The right ankle has been a recurring problem, often cited as a weak point for a player who was once among the Ballon d’Or contenders during his time at Barcelona, but has not shined at that level since moving to Paris. The coach expressed cautious optimism about a possible return in Germany, where Neymar arrived with a fully loaded attack featuring Mbappé, despite a narrow 0-1 loss to Bayern and PSG exiting a key tie. The absence of Neymar could push the team to strengthen the midfield, aiming for a more balanced approach.
sister’s birthday
Neymar’s injury absence has added another chapter to his story: his recurring March 11 absence around his sister Raffaella’s birthday. The forward has often prioritized this personal date with flamboyant celebrations that sometimes stirred discussions among PSG supporters. Since 2015, Neymar has attended the birthday event in most years, with a few exceptions. While with Barcelona, he missed the 2015, 2016, and 2017 celebrations due to competitive obligations and injuries. The 2020 edition happened under the shadow of the pandemic, when the birthday party could not take place, and he played a match against Borussia Dortmund instead.