Brazil's Neymar to miss at least 1 game with ankle injury

Neymar will miss Brazil's next World Cup group stage match due to ligament damage in his right ankle, the country's football federation announced Friday.

However, the Paris Saint-Germain star could miss the rest of the group stage before returning in the round of 16, sources told ESPN.

Brazil plays Switzerland on Monday.

The 30-year-old was replaced in the 80th minute of Thursday's victory against Serbia after a heavy tackle from Nikola Milenkovic.

Serbia fouled Neymar nine times during the contest, the most suffered by a player in a single game at the 2022 World Cup.

Neymar was visibly upset after being substituted for Antony. He appeared to have tears in his eyes as he made his way to the bench and during treatment on his swollen ankle.

Right-back Danilo has also been sidelined because of an ankle injury.

"Neymar and Danilo went through an MRI on Friday afternoon, and we found ligament damage in the ankle of both of them," said Brazil's team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, according to BBC Sport.

"It is important to be calm and evaluate day by day. The idea is to recover them for the rest of the competition."

Brazil's last group stage game is against Cameroon on Dec. 2. The World Cup knockout rounds begin the next day, with Brazil scheduled to play Dec. 5 if it wins Group G.