Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has been ruled out of the World Cup and the remainder of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old Brazil international suffered the injury during Monday's 1-0 La Liga defeat to Getafe. He had only just returned from a month-long muscle injury when he came on as a substitute in the 54th minute. In the 66th minute, his leg became caught during a challenge on the left wing, causing immediate pain, though he completed the match.
Real Madrid's medical services diagnosed Rodrygo with a torn ACL and a torn outer meniscus in his right leg. The injury is a huge blow for Brazil, who are preparing for the World Cup starting on 13 June against Morocco.
Rodrygo has won 37 caps for Brazil since his debut in 2019, scoring nine goals. He featured in all five of Brazil's matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia on penalties.
Brazil, five-time world champions, have not won the trophy since 2002 and have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage in the last two tournaments. They finished fifth in South American World Cup qualifying, behind Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia and Uruguay, and now face the tournament without one of their key attacking players.
