AP
Lusail, Qatar, November 25
Neymar sat crying on the bench and later left the stadium limping with a swollen right ankle after Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Serbia at the World Cup.
Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said Neymar sprained his ankle.
“We put ice on it while he was on the bench and then in physiotherapy,” Lasmar said on Thursday.
“There is no test scheduled for now but we will schedule it if needed. He will be under observation. We will know more tomorrow,” he added.
Brazil coach Tite said he was “confident that Neymar will continue playing at the World Cup,” but Lasmar said it was too early to comment on the extent of the injury.
Neymar, who was fouled nine times in the match against Serbia, got injured in the second half and was substituted in the 79th minute. Tite said he stayed on the field for 11 minutes before asking to be replaced.
“He overcame the injury because the team needed him,” Tite said.
“I didn’t even see that he had been injured. He just kept playing.” Neymar was in tears on the bench as doctors began treating him in the final minutes of the game at Lusail Stadium. He pulled his shirt over his head as doctors taped ice around his foot. He went into the locker room limping, and also limped as he left the stadium without speaking to reporters.
“The most important thing for us it to have him at 100 per cent for the next match,” said Brazil striker Richarlison, who scored both goals on Thursday, including one after a buildup started by Neymar.
“When I get to the hotel, I’m going to go and see how he is doing,” Richarlison added.
Neymar was tackled hard a few times during the match and was limping and grimacing before having to leave the field. He was the most fouled player on the field.
The 30-year-old Neymar has yet to win a major title with the national team. He helped the “Selecao” win the 2013 Confederations Cup and its first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
With 75 goals for the national team, he is two shy of Pele’s scoring record.
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