THE ACL/MCL ANATOMY: DEEP DIVE INTO THE "UNHAPPY TRIAD" INJURY ENDING RODRYGO’S 2026 SEASON
Rodrygo’s World Cup is over: Read about his ACL/MCL tear, the 10-month recovery, and how this opens the door for Neymar’s return.
Rodrygo, Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward, is out of the World Cup after tearing his ACL. He lasted just 35 minutes in Real’s 1-0 loss to Getafe before going down with a brutal knee injury. The club took him off straight away, and scans showed even worse news: he tore his ACL and his MCL in the same knee. He’s looking at around ten months on the sidelines.
Real Madrid put out a statement Tuesday confirming the injury: a torn anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus in his right leg. Rodrygo, who’s 25, now faces surgery and a long road back.
It’s a huge blow. Rodrygo had been linked with a Premier League move last summer, but he stayed at Madrid and became one of their key players, moving all across the front line. He’s already played 27 games this season, popping up on both wings and through the middle.
For Brazil, he’s just as important. He played every one of their friendlies in October and November, scored twice, set up another, and his ability to slot in anywhere up front meant he was basically a lock for the World Cup squad.
Rodrygo was also one of Neymar’s most vocal supporters, pushing for his hero to get another World Cup call-up. Neymar, now back at Santos and still Brazil’s all-time top scorer, has played Brazil’s last four games, but his place in the squad is still up in the air. Rodrygo was clear about where he stood: “For me, there’s not even a discussion. We need him. It just won’t feel right to win without Neymar.” But he also admitted Neymar needs to be fit, especially after knee surgery.
Now, though, Rodrygo has lost his chance to play alongside Neymar at the World Cup. Ironically, his absence could give Neymar a better shot at making Carlo Ancelotti’s final squad.
Brazil’s coaches are leaving their decision on Neymar as late as possible. He’s in his mid-30s, and they’re watching his recovery closely. He didn’t get called up for the recent friendlies against France and Croatia, but with Rodrygo out, the situation could change.
HOW HECTOR BELLERIN’S 94TH-MINUTE STUNNER PUSHED REAL MADRID TO THE TITLE BRINK
Real Madrid's title hopes faded after a 1-1 draw with Real Betis. Discover the impact of Bellerin’s goal and Mbappe’s injury.
Real Madrid’s La Liga dreams took a big hit Friday night when Héctor Bellerín scored a 94th-minute equaliser, earning Real Betis a 1-1 draw. With that late goal, Madrid now sit eight points behind Barcelona, and if Barça win their next match, they could pull even further away with just a handful of games left.
Madrid actually started strong in Seville. Vinícius Jr took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake and put them ahead early in the 17th minute. After that, Madrid had control for large stretches, but it just didn’t translate into goals. Kylian Mbappé had one ruled out for offside, and Jude Bellingham, along with the rest of Madrid’s attack, missed some big chances. It all came back to haunt them when, in the dying seconds, Bellerín capitalised on the chaos at the back and smashed in the equaliser.
People are talking about Madrid’s defence and not in a good way. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet for ten straight league games. The last time the backline struggled this much in a single season was way back in 2003-04, when Carlos Queiroz was in charge. This run has cost Madrid dearly, with dropped points piling up right when the title race is heating up.
This result marks Madrid’s fifth league draw this season, another missed chance that opens the door for Hansi Flick’s relentless Barcelona to run away with the title. With their Champions League hopes already gone, Madrid are now staring at what could be just their fifth season without a trophy this century. About the only bright spot? Mbappé made his 100th appearance for the club, becoming just the tenth Frenchman to reach that milestone for Madrid. Still, even that was undercut; he limped off with a suspected hamstring injury about ten minutes from the end.
Honestly, the title now looks like a lost cause. If Barcelona beat Getafe, they will go 11 points clear. Madrid has two tough away fixtures next: Espanyol, then Barcelona in a do-or-die El Clásico that could finish off their title hopes for good. With their form stalling and Barça flying, Madrid now need a minor miracle and a huge Barcelona slip-up to avoid ending this season empty-handed.
JUDE BELLINGHAM’S SURPRISE £1M MINORITY STAKE IN CRICKET’S BIRMINGHAM PHOENIX TEAM REVEALED
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham has bought a £1M stake in the Birmingham Phoenix cricket team. Discover his ties to his hometown roots.
Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, just took a surprising step into cricket. He bought a minority stake, 1.2 per cent, worth about £1 million in Birmingham Phoenix, the team in The Hundred. That franchise is split between Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Knighthead Capital, an American investment firm. Knighthead added Bellingham by selling off part of their ownership, which dropped from 49 per cent to 48.4 per cent once he joined.
Bellingham picked up equal shares from Warwickshire and Knighthead, both of whom also co-own Birmingham City Football Club. That’s the team where Bellingham got his start; he came up through the youth squads and made his debut for the first team at just 16. Then he went off to Borussia Dortmund in Germany for a hefty £22.75 million transfer before Real Madrid snapped him up last year for about £88 million.
He grew up in Stourbridge, played junior cricket for Hagley Cricket Club as a teenager, and honestly, he’s loved cricket forever.
“I love Birmingham. I’m so grateful for everything the city’s given me. And I love cricket too, so once this opportunity came up, I didn’t even have to think about it; I just went for it,” Bellingham said, via ESPNcricinfo.
He’s pretty clear about his roots: “I owe so much to Birmingham, Stourbridge, and the West Midlands. I got the best start in football and in life through Birmingham City. I feel like I owe the city. Right now, football keeps me busy, but if I can help in any way, this seems like a great way to do it.”
Warwickshire says Bellingham’s investment means he’ll get involved in community activities and corporate social responsibility projects around Birmingham.
And Bellingham’s big push? He wants kids to get out and play sports. “It’s so important for kids in the city to have that chance,” he said. “Whether it’s football or cricket, I want people to see there are different paths. When I was growing up, I got to choose between cricket and football, but not all kids get that kind of opportunity. If I can help shine a light on something for them, that’s even better.”
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