Rodrygo ruled out of 2026 World Cup with Ancelotti’s Brazil: Real Madrid star suffers season-ending injury

Brazil and Real Madrid received terrible news on Tuesday, as Rodrygo Goes suffered a severe knee injury that will rule him out for the rest of the club season and prevent him from playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Following tests carried out today on our player Rodrygo by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn lateral meniscus in his right leg,” the club said in a statement on its official website.

The 25-year-old forward had caused major concern at Real Madrid in recent hours due to what happened in Monday’s match against Getafe. He came on as a substitute in the 55th minute, replacing Thiago Pitarch, and in one of his first touches, went down and his right knee got stuck in the turf.

While it didn’t prevent him from finishing the match, his obvious signs of pain set off alarms and led Real Madrid’s medical team to run preliminary tests on his knee in the locker room.

Those initial tests were followed by more thorough examinations on Tuesday morning, which delivered the worst possible news. The Brazilian forward has a serious injury that will require surgery and several months of recovery. That obviously rules him out for the rest of the club season and also eliminates him from the 2026 World Cup.

Ancelotti loses a key piece

Rodrygo Goes had been a favorite of Carlo Ancelotti during his years at Real Madrid, and that carried over to the Brazil national team when they reunited in 2025. Initially, the coach did not call him up for the first two international breaks, explaining that he wanted to evaluate new players while signaling that he already understood Rodrygo’s potential.

The forward returned in October of last year, scoring a brace against South Korea in a friendly in Asia. That was followed by appearances against Japan, Senegal, and Tunisia, which established him as a key figure in the squad. In fact, reports included Rodrygo among a list of 18 Brazil players confirmed in Ancelotti’s plans for the World Cup.

Does Rodrygo’s injury open a chance for Neymar?

Rodrygo Goes’ absence will force Ancelotti to rearrange his attacking options for Brazil. The Real Madrid forward added versatility, being able to play as a winger on either flank, as an attacking midfielder, or as a second forward depending on the team’s needs.

In that area of the field, Brazil has plenty of alternatives, including Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli, Estevao, and Matheus Cunha. All of them seemed almost guaranteed a spot in the World Cup, as Rodrygo had been. But now a new opportunity has opened, and Neymar could take advantage of it.

With different qualities and nearly a decade more of experience, Neymar may not offer the same physical output, but he could still replace Rodrygo by contributing talent, individual flair, and game vision. Still, it will be up to the Santos star to stay healthy and perform at a high level to convince Ancelotti that he deserves the chance.