Neymar's ACL injury could cost FIFA millions in compensation, it has been claimed.
The Brazilian ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee while playing for Brazil against Uruguay on Tuesday.
He landed awkwardly and was stretchered off in tears in the 2026 World Cup qualifier.
Neymar will now undergo surgery and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, with a typical recovery time of between eight to 10 months.
He will therefore not be available for his new club, Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, who splashed out £78 million to sign him from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
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Neymar signed a two-year deal and is said to be earning £138 million-a-year. Jorge Jesus's side look set to be impacted financially following on from the injury blow but as per The Sun, they are entitled to a payment from the world football governing body.
As part of the Club Protection Programme agreed with clubs, FIFA must pay a player's wage if they suffer an injury playing for their country and the spell on the sidelines is longer than 28 days.
The maximum they can pay is €7.5 million (£6.5 million) - a figure determined from the daily “pro rata” compensation of up to €20,548 - payable for no more than 365 days.
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Clearly though, the sum won't be anywhere near on par with what Neymar earns from his club.
He takes home around £10 million per month and if he never ends up playing for Al Hilal again, he will have cost the club £85 million.
The former Barcelona man has encountered injuries on a frequent basis in recent times and was out for a while due to a nasty ankle problem.
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He missed Al Hilal's first four games of the season due to a muscle injury and then scored once in five appearances.
Reacting to his injury on Instagram, Neymar wrote: "It's a very sad time, the worst. I know I'm strong, but this time I'm going to need my family and friends even more."
"It's not easy to go through injury and surgery, imagine going through it all again after four months of recovery.”
Topics: Neymar, Brazil, FIFA, Saudi Pro League
Josh Lawless