NEWS

If Neymar was the talisman and top-scorer of the Brazilian national team during the World Cup, then it's time to be concerned: Neymar is out of the World Cup. The striker fractured a vertebra in his lower back and will not have time to recover for the rest of the World Cup.

The 22-year-old, who had scored four times to lead his country to the quarter-finals, was carried off on a stretcher in the closing stages of Friday's 2-1 win over Colombia and taken to hospital.

Neymar will miss the semi-final against Germany, and a possible grand final on July 13.  The Brazilian Football Confederation said that Neymar will be out of field for six weeks.

And team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar told local media,

“It's not serious in the sense that it doesn't need surgery, but he'll need to immobilize it to recover,' he told SportTV. 'Unfortunately, he's not going to be able to play.”

Lasmar also detailed the results obtained after the tests made â