Brazilian star Neymar is expected to miss the rest of the season due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. The news was reported by Globo Esporte on Wednesday, but has not been confirmed by Santos FC or the player.

Globo Esporte has clearly stated that Neymar has been experiencing persistent discomfort in his left knee since the Brazilian Serie A match against Mirasol on November 19th. He consequently missed the match against Internacional on the 24th and traveled to São Paulo for examination on Tuesday. The final examination revealed that Neymar suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee.

For Santos, who are already teetering on the brink of relegation, Neymar's injury is undoubtedly a further blow. With only three rounds remaining in the Brazilian league, Santos are still one point behind the safety zone. They must secure more points in their upcoming crucial matches against Atlético Recife, Young Boys, and Cruzeiro to ensure their survival in the league.

New injury problems have further impacted Neymar's prospects for participating in the 2026 World Cup. The Brazilian national team will announce its World Cup roster after its final two friendly matches next March, but it remains uncertain whether Neymar will be able to recover in time. In an interview on the 17th of this month, Carlo Ancelotti stated, "Neymar is still on the list of players who may participate in the World Cup, but there are still six months until the final roster is announced. We must observe his and other players' performances to ensure the roster is accurate."

Neymar's future at Santos is also uncertain. His current contract expires in December, but a renewal has yet to be decided.

Since returning to Santos at the beginning of this year, Neymar has only made 25 appearances due to injuries, scoring 7 goals and providing 3 assists. Although he underwent surgery to repair his left anterior cruciate ligament in October 2023, his body and form have never fully recovered.

If this left knee meniscus injury is included, Neymar has suffered four injuries in 2025 alone. The first three were: left hamstring muscle pain in March, left semimembranosus muscle injury in April, and right rectus femoris grade II injury in September.

Despite being plagued by injuries, Neymar's income is equivalent to the combined salaries of five key players. According to Globo Esporte, Santos' internal analysis suggests that Neymar's competitive value is far below expectations, thus necessitating a reassessment of his salary expenditure.