RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Neymar will undergo keyhole surgery on Monday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, according to widespread media reports.
The 33-year-old Santos forward posted a photo on social media on Sunday in which he is seen lying on a hospital bed in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte.
Reports said Brazil national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar would carry out the procedure, which is expected to require a recovery period of around four weeks.
Earlier this month, Neymar revealed he had played the latter half of the 2025 Brazilian season carrying the injury but decided to play through pain to help Santos avoid relegation.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star made just 28 appearances for Santos across all competitions this year, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists.
His injury-hit campaign came after he spent more than a year out with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, suffered in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023.
Brazil's all-time leading scorer is aiming to be fit for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
He has not represented his country for more than two years and Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has said he will only consider players who are playing regularly for their clubs. ■
