Neymar said he would have been “hit a lot” if he had participated in Brazil’s high-stakes match against Argentina on Tuesday. Neymar recently had surgery on his left knee to address ACL and meniscus tears. Thus, the Brazilian star sat out of the Brazil vs Argentina clash.
In his Instagram Story, Neymar said: “Good game, classic, hot game. I was going to get hit a lot in that game, but I was going to make a hell of a mess.”
Brazil lost 1-0 to Argentina in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in the Maracana, with Nicolas Otamendi scoring the game-winning goal. Meetings between the such rivals are often tense events, but prior to the game violence inside the stadium involving fans and Brazilian police fueled the flames.
Unsegregated Brazil and Argentina fans began fighting during the singing of the national anthems. When Brazilian police attempted to subdue supporters, they harmed numerous Argentine fans.
As a result, Lionel Messi and his teammates went over to the stands to ensure their safety. Argentina eventually won their first-ever away World Cup qualifier in Brazil, handing their arch rivals their third consecutive defeat.
Neymar did not participate due to an ACL injury, but he stated he would have been targeted if he had. Neymar tore his ACL while playing for Brazil in October. It was just a few months after he left PSG to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Neymar has a long way to go before he can return to play. The footballer is likely to return in time for Brazil’s next World Cup qualifier in September next year. Notably, Brazil has won only two of their last six qualifiers so far.
