Heartbreak for Brazil as star man is ruled out for the rest of the tournament with a suspected broken vertebrae.
Brazil’s evening has been soured somewhat with news reports emanating from the country that superstar forward Neymar will miss the rest of the tournament with a suspected broken vertebrae, suffered in a brutal quarter final victory over Colombia.
Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar is reported to have confirmed that the Barcelona star will be ruled out with the back injury, sustained in a fairly innocuous incident as the game ticked down towards injury time.
Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirms Neymar suffered a broken vertebra and is out of the World Cup.
— Fernando Duarte (@Fernando_Duarte) July 4, 2014
The former Santos man has been in devastating form for the Selecao at the tournament, lighting it up with his displays, particularly in the group stage. The news is a severe blow to Luiz Felipe Scolari, who is already struggling for attacking options with his other three forwards Hulk, Oscar and Fred all struggling for form and coming in for criticism from facets of the press.
Brazil team doctor has just announced that Neymar’s World Cup is over. Fractured 3rd vertebrae, “needs to be immobilised…a few weeks”
— Guy Mowbray (@Guymowbray) July 4, 2014
Brazil will now face Germany in the semi-final at the tournament after narrowly edging Colombia in Fortaleza, thanks to a rasping second-half free-kick that David Luiz smashed into the net from long range.
Germany will fancy their chances, with the Selecao once again having underwhelmed on home soil and Scolari’s finest player now appearing to be unavailable for selection, but they will have to face up to the will of the nation which continually seems to be able to haul Brazil over the line.