Rodrygo has been ruled out of the 2026 World Cup with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, Real Madrid announced.
## What happened?
The 25-year-old Brazilian footballer suffered the injury in his right knee during Los Blancos' defeat to Getafe, his first appearance since 1 February.
He was struggling with pain and will now miss the remainder of the 2025-2026 season.
## Why it matters for Rodrygo
Rodrygo made five appearances at the 2022 World Cup, but will not play a part in Carlo Ancelotti's squad this summer.
He has registered eight direct goal involvements, including three goals and five assists, in 30 games across all competitions for Madrid this season.
## What comes next?
Real Madrid is still fighting for LaLiga and the Champions League, but Rodrygo will miss the final 12 LaLiga games of the season and the Champions League last-16 clash against Manchester City.
Brazil will face Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland in the group stage of the World Cup, hoping to lift the trophy for the first time since 2002.
Rodrygo's injury is a significant blow to both Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team.
He has been out of favour with former boss Xabi Alonso at the start of the campaign, starting just 11 games in 2025-26.
The Brazilian footballer will undergo a lengthy recovery process, with the exact timeline unknown.
And his absence will be felt by Real Madrid, who are four points behind leader Barcelona in LaLiga.
But Rodrygo's injury is not the only setback for the team, as they face a tough road ahead in the Champions League.
So the pressure is on for Real Madrid to perform without one of their key players.
Rodrygo's ACL injury was diagnosed by the Real Madrid Medical Services after tests were carried out on the player.
The injury is a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a rupture of the lateral meniscus of his right leg, as confirmed by the club.
"Following tests carried out today on our player Rodrygo by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a rupture of the lateral meniscus of his right leg.