Rodrygo Out for Season
Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Rodrygo was ruled out for the rest of the season and the upcoming World Cup with a torn ACL. Rodrygo called it "one of the worst days of my life," and his absence is expected to have major ramifications for both Madrid's run-in and Brazil's international ambitions.
The injury occurred just 12 minutes after Rodrygo came on as a substitute in the 54th minute during Real Madrid's 1-0 loss to Getafe. His right leg twisted awkwardly following a challenge on the wing, though he managed to finish the match despite being in clear pain. This devastating blow came shortly after the 25-year-old had returned to action from a month-long absence due to tendonitis. Scans confirmed a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn lateral meniscus in his right leg, with the recovery timeline for such an injury typically being nine to twelve months. Prior to the injury, Rodrygo had recorded one goal and three assists in 19 La Liga appearances during the 2025-2026 season. His goal involvement stood at 0.53 per 90 minutes. The timing is particularly damaging for Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who is already dealing with an injury to star forward Kylian Mbappé. This leaves Madrid with just three fit forwards, Vinicius Junior, Gonzalo Garcia, and Franco Mastantuono, ahead of their Champions League round of 16 first-leg tie against Manchester City. For Brazil, the injury shatters the plans of manager Carlo Ancelotti, who had envisioned a potent World Cup attack led by Real Madrid duo Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. The national team will now have to reconsider its attacking options as it aims to end a 24-year World Cup drought.
