Colombian Camilo Zúñiga’s knee interrupted the number 10’s World Cup; find out how the treatment went and how long it took to recover.
A fateful fracture of the third lumbar vertebra of Neymar took place on the day July 4, 2014during Brazil’s 2-1 victory against Colombia, valid for the quarter-finals of the World Cup, in Arena Castelão, in Fortaleza. The Brazilian striker suffered a violent knee in the back from the Colombian full-back Juan Camilo Zúñiga in the 86th minute of the game. THE Neymar’s recovery time was exactly 45 diasa period in which he remained on absolute rest and underwent intensive physiotherapy before returning to officially play for Barcelona, in August of that same year.
The violent clash in Castelão that took the star out of the World Cup
The move that shocked the country happened in the final stretch of the match. After a corner was taken in the Brazilian area, the ball was left in midfield. Neymar ran to dominate and protect the ball, but was run over from behind by Camilo Zúñiga. The Colombian defender jumped and hit the Brazilian number 10’s back directly with his knee. A biomechanical study carried out at the time revealed that the impact suffered by the player was equivalent to jumping from a height of 2.5 meters kneeling on a person’s back.
With the force of the shock, Neymar collapsed on the pitch, crying intensely in pain. The surrounding players immediately realized that the situation was serious. Left-back Marcelo even reported that Neymar said that I couldn’t feel my legs shortly after impact. Removed from the field on a stretcher and amid apprehensive applause from the fans, the attacker was rushed to Hospital São Carlos, located in Fortaleza, where he underwent imaging tests that confirmed the severity of the problem.
Medical diagnosis without complicated technical terms
The tests found that Neymar suffered a fracture in the transverse process of the third lumbar vertebra. In simple terms, the transverse process represents two small lateral “wings” that emerge from each vertebra and serve as a support point for the muscles and ligaments of the spine. Zúñiga’s strong blow broke one of these peripheral structures, which caused extreme and disabling pain for the athlete.
Despite the player’s fear and crying, the fracture was classified by doctors as stable. This means that the injury did not reach the central canal of the spine, through which the spinal cord and the main nerves of the body pass. For this reason, there was no risk of paralysis or permanent motor sequelae. Even so, the treatment required rigorous care to prevent the injury from worsening and allow the bone to consolidate in a healthy way.
The treatment routine and the triumphant return to Barcelona
As it was a stable fracture, the Brazilian team’s medical team, under the leadership of doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, ruled out the need for surgery. The treatment adopted was completely conservative. Neymar had to do use of a lumbar brace rigid to immobilize the region and control the pain, in addition to taking analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications. The player spent the first weeks of his recovery lying down, in complete rest, at his home in Guarujá, on the coast of São Paulo.
After the initial period of total immobilization, the athlete traveled to Spain at the beginning of August to begin the physical transition and physiotherapy work at the Barcelona training center. The evolution process surprised the Catalan club’s doctors. Exact 45 days after injuryon the day August 18, 2014Neymar returned to the pitch in triumph. He took the field in the friendly against Club León, from Mexico, for Joan Gamper Trophyat Camp Nou. In that match, the Brazilian played for 45 minutes, provided an assist to Lionel Messi and scored two goals in the rout by 6 to 0, proving to be fully recovered from physical trauma.
Neymar 2014 Injury FAQ
Which vertebra did Neymar fracture during the 2014 World Cup?
Neymar fractured his third lumbar vertebra, known in medicine by the acronym L3. The injury occurred specifically to the lateral part of the bone, called the transverse process, and not to the main body of the vertebra.
Who injured Neymar in the 2014 World Cup?
The person responsible for the move that injured Neymar was Colombian right-back Camilo Zúñiga. The move happened during an aerial ball dispute at the end of the second half of the quarterfinals.
Did Neymar need to undergo spinal surgery?
No, the attacker did not need a surgical procedure. As the fracture was considered stable and did not affect the spinal cord, doctors opted for conservative treatment based on absolute rest and immobilization with a lumbar brace.
How long did Neymar miss playing after breaking his vertebra?
The player spent exactly 45 days away from the field. He was injured on July 4, 2014 and returned to play in a match on August 18 of the same year, defending Barcelona’s colors.
Neymar’s absence in the 2014 World Cup semi-final disrupted coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s tactical planning and deeply shook the Brazilian squad’s emotions, which ended up suffering a historic 7-1 defeat to Germany. Despite the tragic outcome for the Brazilian team in that tournament, the quick and complete recovery of the number 10 showed the excellent physical capacity of the athlete, who returned at a high level to have one of the most successful seasons of his career in Europe, culminating in winning the UEFA Champions League the following year.
