Real Madrid have confirmed that winger Rodrygo has sustained a serious knee injury that will sideline him for several months, effectively ruling him out of Brazil’s World Cup campaign this summer.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Spanish club disclosed that medical examinations carried out by its medical team revealed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and a tear of the lateral meniscus in the player’s right knee.
Rodrygo suffered the injury after coming on as a substitute during Madrid’s 1-0 La Liga defeat to Getafe CF on Monday. Although the 25-year-old remained on the pitch until the end of the match, subsequent tests confirmed the full extent of the damage.
The setback comes shortly after the Brazilian forward returned from a month-long spell on the sidelines due to tendonitis, compounding concerns over his fitness.
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who previously managed Rodrygo at club level, will now be without the attacker as the five-time world champions pursue a sixth title in the United States.
Madrid are also set to feel the impact of the absence, particularly with Kylian Mbappe currently out with a knee sprain. Interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa is left with limited attacking options — Vinicius Junior, Gonzalo Garcia and Franco Mastantuono — ahead of next week’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 clash against Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu.
