Brazilian star Neymar da Silva, winger for Saudi’s Al Hilal, has entered the last phase of his recovery to be able to return to the field of play after suffering a torn cruciate ligament in October.
Al Hilal player Malcon de Oliveira (L) celebrates scoring the 4-0 goal with Neymar during the Saudi League match between Al Hilal and Al Riyadh at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 15 September 2023. EFE-EPA FILE/STRINGER
Samer Al Shahrani, a physiotherapist for joint and muscle injuries and close to Al Hilal, posted on X that the player had entered the most important stage of the recovery process to strengthen his muscles.
Neymar has appeared in recent days in videos and photos on the Saudi club’s social networks, working out in the gym.
The Saudi media had said that Neymar would return to the field in July 2024, with the start of the new season, but the player’s condition has improved faster than expected.
The Brazilian national team is likely to be the one that mostly benefits from Neymar’s early return, especially with the team competing in the Copa America in June.
The Brazilian team’s doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, had previously confirmed that Neymar was improving but did not expect him to return before July.
Neymar played only five matches for Al Hilal after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain for 90 million euros ($95.83 million) before suffering an injury during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay that ended his season. EFE