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Eder Militão’s dream of playing in the 2026 World Cup ended after confirmation of a devastating thigh injury that required immediate surgery.
The Real Madrid defender reportedly received the heartbreaking diagnosis after consulting with a specialist in Finland, bringing a premature end to his season and his hopes of representing Brazil this summer.
Surgery ends World Cup dreams
The worst-case scenario was confirmed for Militão after the defender traveled to Turku, Finland, to seek a definitive specialized opinion on his condition.
According to reports from GlobeThe consultation revealed a serious injury to the left thigh that carries a high risk of complete rupture of the tendon.
With no other viable option to save his long-term career, the Brazil international accepted the recommendation for surgery, which took place this Tuesday.
This medical intervention means the 28-year-old faces a long period on the sidelines and is not expected to return to action until October at the earliest.
It is a devastating blow for both club and country, as the recovery schedule fully encompasses the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Militao, who featured with the Seleção in the 2022 tournament in Qatar, must now wait until 2030 for another shot at global glory.
The loss of Militão is a catastrophic event for Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who is already dealing with a growing list of injuries as the season ends.
Los Blancos will have to face the rest of the campaign without mercurial attacker Rodrygo, who will also miss Brazil’s trip to North America this summer, and creative midfielder Arda Guler.
To compound these absences, the team has been without starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois since mid-March.
With the La Liga title race slipping away, losing a defensive pillar of Militão’s caliber leaves Madrid’s backline looking incredibly vulnerable.
Madrid issued an official statement confirming that Militão’s operation was a success.
“Our player Eder Militão underwent successful surgery today to rupture the proximal tendon of the biceps femoris in his left leg. The operation was performed by Dr. Lasse Lempainen under the supervision of the Real Madrid Medical Services. Militão will begin his recovery work in the coming days,” the statement reads.
A nightmare cycle for Militão
For the player himself, this latest setback represents the continuation of an agonizing cycle of physical problems.
Since the conclusion of the last World Cup, Militão has suffered nine different injuries and three surgeries.
His career has been severely disrupted by these recurring problems, resulting in more than 600 days of inactivity in recent years.
The current injury occurred during Real Madrid’s victory over Alavés at the Bernabéu.
Despite initially being substituted at half-time as a suspected precaution, the diagnosis quickly worsened.
The defender remained hopeful, even undergoing a second MRI on Monday in Madrid before flying to Finland, but the specialist’s verdict was final.
Now he must focus on an exhausting rehabilitation process that will keep him off the playing field for the next five months.
Brazil is forced to rethink its World Cup plans
Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti now faces the unenviable task of reshaping his defense just weeks before the World Cup begins.
Militão was expected to be a guaranteed starter for the Seleção, providing the pace and physicality needed for a deep run in the tournament.
His absence creates a huge void at the heart of the defense that will be difficult to fill given his experience at the highest level.
