Neymar fractures vertebrae, out of World Cup

[jakeXT]

Brazil will be without star striker Neymar for the remainder of the FIFA World Cup, after he fractured his vertebrae late in the team's 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia on Friday.

Neymar was carried off the pitch on a stretcher and appeared to be in considerable pain.

Replays showed Colombia's Juan Camillo Zuniga kneeing Neymar in the back while challenging for the ball. It happened in the 87th minute.

"He was crying out in pain," Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari said after the match. "It won't be easy to recover." 

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/sports/brazil2014/story/1.2697032

[SunSeeker]

1. It was a brutal knee to the spine. The refs let the game get out of control. nt

Last edited Sat Jul 5, 2014, 01:07 AM - Edit history (1)

[Aquavit]

2. The referee didn't call much...

There were lots of opportunities for the referee to book players, but he let an awful lot go. Same thing in the France/Germany match earlier today.

[jakeXT]

4. 54 fouls, a record. FIFA doesn't want too many cards and Webb was praised for it in another game

In the end Brazil committed 31 fouls, with the match containing a record 54 in total. Yet there were only three yellow cards, and none before the 64th minute. The referee allowed many, many more questionable challenges to go unpunished.

...

FIFA has wanted referees to ensure games in this World Cup are allowed to flow, for attacking players to be able to find a rhythm and exert an influence on proceedings. By and large that has happened, enabling Rodriguez and Neymar to express themselves in the eye-catching ways they have done.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2119853-neymar-the-casualty-as-weak-refereeing-mars-brazils-brutal-win-over-colombia

In all corners, there was praise for Webb’s correct assessment of a number of difficult decisions, not least the penalty he denied Brazil striker Hulk, having correctly judged that the player had controlled the ball with his upper arm.

Webb’s general approach to the game was also remarked upon, with most pointing out that he was reluctant to issue cards, and thereby allowed the game to flow freely.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2014/article-2675460/Howard-Webb-star-Germany-press-applaud-Super-Referee.html

[Aquavit]

6. I take that back!

For whatever reason, it didn't feel like he called much. Maybe it's just because there were lots of could-be cards that ended up being just being called as free kicks.

[T_i_B]

7. Yep

The Brazillians spent much of the match clogging Colombia's star player James Rodriguez, and then right at the end one clumsy challenge gives Brazil's star player a very serious injury. Ref should have brandished the yellow card to a few people much earlier in the game.

Brazil got through, but can they beat Germany without Neymar?

[VWolf]

9. This is Brazil we're talking about

I'd be surprised if the team falters without Neymar (and the idiot Thiago Silva). I also expect a small amount of home-cooking by the officials. The match is a toss-up IMHO.

[T_i_B]

10. Are you sure this is the Brazillian national team?

Looks more like Scotland in disguise.

[VWolf]

11. LOL Yeah that was embarassing!

Looks like they missed Silva a lot more than Neymar.

My heart goes out to the winner of the other semi. They're in for a spanking in the final.

[mackerel]

3. With this kind of injury he could be out of more than World Cup.

I hope the best for him.

[jakeXT]

5. I'm surprised that you don't need surgery

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2014/article-2681450/Neymar-returns-Brazil-training-camp-ambulance-X-ray-reveals-World-Cup-poster-boy-suffered-clean-break-vertebra.html

[BKH70041]

8. He broke his neck.

Been out of town so not commenting until now.

I read somewhere it was the third vertebrae, and the x-ray in post #5 seems to indicate that being the case, which is part of your neck.

I don't think the knee in the back was what did this damage. If you watch the reply, when he fell his torso hit, but then his head snapped as it continued to the ground. That would explain the break.