His team Santos reported on Monday that Neymar had a successful operation on his left knee to repair a meniscus damage.
The 33-year-old managed to recover from the injury to prevent the team from falling into Brazil’s top flight during a difficult season at Santos.
After previously operating on Neymar for a foot fracture and his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament against Uruguay in October 2023, the national team doctor of Brazil performed the arthroscopic surgery.
READ MORE: Ronaldo’s request to select Neymar for the World Cup is ignored
Expect a month-long recovery period for Neymar. At the end of the year, he will still be working with the Santos team to agree to a new contract.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward hasn’t played for Brazil in over two years, but he hopes to be fit and contribute to the World Cup’s 2026 schedule.
With 79 goals in 128 games, Neymar holds Brazil’s record for goals.
In injury time, Leicester City’s Patson Daka headed home as Zambia held Mali to a 1-1 draw in their opening Africa Cup of Nations game on Monday.
At the conclusion of the game, Daka threw himself at a Mathews Banda cross in the second added minute to give the Chipolopolo an unlikely point. Daka has only scored once for Leicester this season.
On December 22, 2025, at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, Zambia’s forward #20, Patson Daka celebrates scoring his country’s first goal in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group A football match between Mali and Zambia. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT/AFP)
El Bilal Toure wasted a penalty late in the first half at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, but Mali predominated the majority of the Group A game.
Willard Mwanza, the Zambia goalkeeper, saved Toure’s kick after Banda had been penalized for catching Nene Dorgeles in the box during a VAR check.
Read more about AFCON’s Osimhen’s statement, “Our Chance To Apologize To Nigerians After World Cup Failure,” HERE.
Just after the hour mark, Mali did well when Lassine Sinayoko of Auxerre fired home after a corner from close range.
However, Daka’s late effort saved Mali, which will benefit Morocco, who defeated Comoros 2-0 on Sunday in the tournament’s opening match of the same section.
Morocco and Mali next face off in Rabat on Friday, while Zambia will face the Comoros, who haven’t won any of their 10 AFCON games since winning the trophy in 2012.
Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles’ striker, has acknowledged that the team owes Nigerians an apology for their 2026 World Cup defeat.
He referred to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a crucial opportunity to rekindle nation pride and make amends.
In an interview with Pooja on Sunday, Osimhen said that the players are still thinking about the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup because they are fully aware of the pain experienced by national and international fans.
We apologize for not receiving the World Cup ticket at this time.
Osimhen, Lookman, and Other Persons Who Could Shape Nigeria’s Title Push are also worth reading.
“Many Nigerian fans’ faces are deflated, we are aware of that. We have to keep moving because life has happened, and this AFCON offers us an opportunity to succeed,” Osimhen said.
Nigeria’s inability to qualify for the 2026 World Cup sparked a new level of scrutiny for the team and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), a blow to a nation that is regarded as a powerhouse of African football.
Despite persistent high expectations, Osimhen revealed that the camp has a strong sense of responsibility.
He claims that the players are motivated rather than burdened by pressure, and that the technical bench and the squad inspire confidence.
“The expectation is really high, not just within the camp but also among Super Eagles fans everywhere in the world,” he said.
Because we are aware of his level of skill, he said, “but there is no pressure on my teammates, myself, or the coach.”
Osimhen emphasized that the team must demonstrate its commitment through hard work and outcomes, not just by words.
According to reports from Monday, Liverpool are awaiting scan results because they fear they will confirm record signing Alexander Isak’s broken leg from their win against Tottenham.
Following a sliding challenge from Spurs defender Micky van der Ven, the Sweden forward was hurt when he scored the opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 victory in London.
Isak, 26, who had started in the second half but was unable to celebrate with his teammates, so he left the pitch in great pain.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot immediately acknowledged that the injury was “not a good thing” following the game.
He said, “I cannot say anything more than that,” but a player who doesn’t even try to return is typically not good.
Let’s not be too negative about it yet, because that is just a gut feeling and nothing medical. We are still unsure. I’m hoping he’ll be back with us soon.
As Tottenham Hotspur’s Dutch defender #37 Micky van de Ven challenges during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on December 20, 2025, Swedish striker #09 Alexander Isak (R) shoots the opening goal for 0-1. (Photo by AFP photographer JUSTIN TALLIS)
According to a report from The Athletic and Sky Sports on Monday, Liverpool are concerned that Isak has broken his leg, which would require a while of his absence.
Since breaking the £125 million ($168 million) British record move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day, Isak has had a troubled start to his life at Anfield. He has only made 16 appearances and scored three goals.
He arrived at Anfield well ahead of his teammates in terms of fitness after a disagreement with Newcastle, meaning he did not have a proper pre-season schedule. A groin injury then ended his season.
Read more about Isak’s first Premier League goal as Liverpool sink West Ham HERE.
With Mohamed Salah attending the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo unable to recover from a muscle injury until the first week of January, any absence would be a major blow to Slot.
Hugo Ekitike, who has five goals in his previous four games, and Federico Chiesa, who has only recently started for Liverpool, are the club’s only senior forward.
Liverpool increased their unbeaten league run to five games, extending its title defense to five after a shocking run of results.
Morocco’s opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations began with a 2-0 victory over minnows Comoros in the tournament’s opening game on Sunday, with the goals of Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi.
In Morocco’s grueling opening half, Soufiane Rahimi’s penalty was saved, but Diaz fired home from inside the area at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat ten minutes after the break.
El Kaabi’s stunning overhead kick earned them the second place in Group A against Namibia, Mali, and Zambia, which will likely be the tougher tests to come up next.
Ayoub El Kaabi, the forward for Morocco, scores the second goal for his country during Morocco’s second-placed goal in Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium’s (CAN) group A football game against the Comoros on December 21, 2025. (Sebastien Bozon/AFP photo)
Morocco, the best team in Africa’s 11th place, set a record for wins with 19 straight matches as a result.
Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, who appeared on the field before kick-off, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino were among those present for the 60 or 180-minute game.
Also read:  , Pressure On Morocco To Deliver As 2025 AFCON Begins
The entire game was watched from the bench by Morocco’s star man Achraf Hakimi, with coach Walid Regragui keeping the Paris Saint-Germain full-back, who hasn’t played since he injured his ankle with his club at the beginning of November.
When Morocco won a penalty in the 10th minute after Iyad Mohamed tripped playmaker Diaz inside the box, it appeared to be a long night for the Comoros.
The Comoros goalkeeper dived to his right as Rahimi’s spot-kick was blocked by Yannick Pandor’s legs, which allowed the visitors to hold on to their more illustrious hosts for the remainder of the first half.
Stunning overhead kick
Ayoub El Kaabi, a 20-year-old Morocco forward, scores a goal in a CAN group A football match between Morocco and the Comoros at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP)
Morocco, who also saw veteran centre-back Romain Saiss recover from an early injury, were able to defeat them at half-time.
The 108th-ranked Indian Ocean archipelago, known as the Comoros, had their resistance come to an end with the opening goal on 55 minutes.
Wessair Mazraoui, who started at right-back with Hakimi still recovering from a broken ankle, picked up the ball on the right side of the penalty area and squared past Real Madrid’s number 10 Diaz, who was born in Spain.
Morocco, who almost broke the deadlock just before that, saw space open up despite having a chance to make money off Rafiki Said, who was denied when clean through on goal.
Morocco’s defensemen #26 Anass Salah-Eddine, #18 Jawad El Yamiq, #03 Noussair Mazraoui, #19 Youssef En-Nesyri, #05 Nayef Aguerd, and #24 Neil El Aynaoui celebrate their victory in the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) group A football match between Morocco and the Comoros at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on (Sebastien Bozon/AFP photo)
Before Mazraoui’s El Kaabi, of Greek giants Olympiakos, lit the show with a stunning overhead bicycle kick that sent Anass Salah-Eddine to the left to make it 2-0, Mazraoui forced a good save from Pandor.
Morocco’s next game will be against Mali on Friday, when they kick off their campaign by hosting Zambia in Casablanca on Monday.
In another matchup, South Africa will face Angola in Marrakech on Monday before Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, the record-eighteen-time African champions chasing their first title since 2010 compete against Zimbabwe in Agadir in Group B.
The final will take place in Rabat on January 18 and the first edition of the Cup of Nations will begin in one year and end in another.
With Morgan Rogers’ brilliant brace sealing a 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Sunday, Aston Villa stepped up their unanticipated Premier League title challenge.
At Villa Park, Rogers’ stunning strike late in the first half gave Unai Emery’s side the lead.
Moments later, Matheus Cunha scored the equalizer for United, but Rogers added his sixth goal in his last six league starts to give Villa its 10th straight victory.
Ayden Heaven (top) and Aston Villa’s #26 English defender, #26, Ayden Heaven, kick the ball past from a corner during the English Premier League football game in Birmingham, central England, on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)
As they attempt to capture their first English title since 1981, Unai Emery’s third-placed team are just three points adrift of leaders Arsenal and one point behind second-placed Manchester City.
Since 1914, Villa have won 11 straight victories, which is their best winning streak ever.
For the first time since 1989-1990, when they finished second under Graham Taylor, they have won seven top-flight games.
READ MORE:  , Raphinha, Yamal Strike as Barcelona defeat Villarreal 10-1.
Even with only two points and one goal scored in their first five matches, Villa’s ascent to the top of the league is even more remarkable.
With just one Premier League home defeat coming against Villa Park in 2025, Emery has transformed it into a fortress.
Even United, which had only lost once in their previous 26 trips to Villa, were unable to derail Emery’s title push, despite Arsenal’s already-loss this season.
On December 21, 2025, Aston Villa and Manchester United play at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England, with the English midfielder #07 Mason Mount (L) holding the ball while Aston Villa’s Belgian midfielder #08 Youri Tielemans (R) defends. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)
After drawing with Bournemouth 4-4 on Monday, seventh-placed United are now winless in their last two league games following their second defeat in their last 11 matches.
Bruno Fernandes, United’s captain, reportedly had a hamstring issue, which added to Ruben Amorim’s issues.
Amorim, who lost seven players to Villa, couldn’t have anticipated Fernandes’ injury coming at a worse time.
Casemiro was suspended, while Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo, and Wessair Mazraoui are attending the Africa Cup of Nations, in addition to Casemiro, who suffered injuries and was injured.
When Al-Hilal made a summer transfer for Fernandes, the club recently said that United “wanted me to go.”
Emery is delighted, and  
United will experience what life would be like without Fernandes if the Portugal midfielder decided against moving to Saudi Arabia.
After crashing into the Villa area, Benjamin Sesko should have led, but he made a mistake and gave Emiliano Martinez time to flee off his line and block the Slovenian’s effort.
At the conclusion of Aston Villa’s (Celtic) vs. Manchester United’s English midfielder #38 Jack Fletcher (L) greeting Brazilian striker #10 Matheus Cunha (R) at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Ben Stansall/AFP)
In the 45th minute, Villa launched a masterfully executed counter-attack.
Rogers sprinted down the left flank with a pin-point pass from John McGinn, and the England midfielder scurried past Leny Yoro with a brilliant finish into the far corner.
On the stroke of half-time, when Matty Cash pounced on Cunha for a clinical finish from an acute angle, the defender dawdling in possession.
In the 57th minute, Villa’s advantage was restored thanks to Fernandes’ devastating defeat in the second half.
Rogers seized on a loose ball in the United area and guided a vicious finish past Senne Lammens from 12 yards, showing more desire than Yoro.
Emery roared in joy as he threw his jacket in the air to mark the occasion.
Martinez saved from Diogo Dalot and Dorgu to keep Villa’s lead, but the Spaniard’s joy was almost immediately curtailed.
Cunha wasted a better chance by heading wide from Dorgu’s cross.
Jack Fletcher, the son of former United midfielder Darren Fletcher, made his debut with Amorim, but his debut was destined to be a failure.
