Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has described it as “one of the worst days of my life” after suffering a severe knee injury that would keep him out of the 2026 World Cup and the remainder of the season.
According to the 25-year-old’s club, he has “been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a rupture of the lateral meniscus of his right leg.”
Football players frequently lose most, if not all, of a season due to an ACL injury, and recuperation can occasionally take even longer.
In Real Madrid’s loss to Getafe on Monday, Rodrygo entered the game as a second-half substitute and finished it in the 55th minute.
It was Rodrygo’s first appearance since a late substitute outing for the La Liga club at the start of February.
“One of the worst days of my life; how much I always feared this injury,” Rodrygo wrote in a statement on social media.
“Maybe life has been a little cruel to me lately; I don’t know if I deserve this, but what can I complain about? How many wonderful things I’ve experienced that I didn’t deserve either.”
Rodrygo made five appearances for Brazil at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He added, “A major obstacle has arisen in my life, in my career, which prevents me from doing what I love most for a certain period of time.
“I’m out of the rest of the season with my club and out of the World Cup with my country, a dream that everyone knows how much it means to me. And all I can do is be strong as always; this is nothing new.
“Even though it’s a very difficult time, I promise not to stop here; I believe I still have many incredible things to experience and bring joy to everyone who trusts me.”
Canada, Mexico, and the United States are hosting the World Cup, which will take place from June 11 to July 19.
On June 13, Brazil, led by former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, will begin their campaign against Morocco. They will then play Haiti and Scotland.
The Brazilian Football Association (CBF) claimed in a statement that Rodrygo “suffered a serious injury during the match against Getafe in the Spanish League” and that it “expresses its solidarity” with the winger.
It added, “The CBF wishes the athlete a speedy recovery and that he returns to the pitch as soon as possible.”
Rodrygo has made 19 appearances for Real Madrid in the league this season, including 13 as a substitute. He has three assists and one goal.
In his five Champions League games, he has one goal and one assist.
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé is also dealing with a knee injury, which is a setback for Rodrygo.
Due to an injury to his left knee’s external ligament since the end of 2023, the French forward has missed his team’s last two games.
