Brazil’s Rodrygo to miss World Cup with ACL injury

Brazil’s Real Madrid forward Rodrygo will miss the World Cup after suffering a serious knee injury.

Real said the 25-year-old had “been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a rupture of the lateral meniscus of his right leg”.

An ACL injury often leads to footballers missing most – and sometimes all – of a season and recovery can sometimes take even longer.

Rodrygo appeared as a second-half substitute for Real in their defeat by Getafe on Monday.

It was his first appearance since a late substitute outing for the La Liga club at the start of February.

The setback for Rodrygo comes with Real forward Kylian Mbappe also struggling with a knee injury.