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Complete Neymar injury history from 2009 to 2025. Year-by-year list of his injuries, recovery time, and matches missed for Santos, Barcelona, PSG, Al-Hilal, and Brazil.
Neymar is one of the most talented footballers but his career has often been interrupted by injuries.
Neymar’s career is full of skill, but injuries have stopped him many times. He’s missed over 249 games since 2009, hurting his time with Santos, Barcelona, PSG, Al-Hilal, Brazil, and now Santos again. Each injury has cost him and his teams, from league matches to World Cups.
Below shows when he got hurt, what the injury was, which team he was playing for, and how many games he missed.
2009
Date: Mar 15
Injury: Ankle sprain
Team: Santos
Matches Missed: 2
2011
Date: Aug 10
Injury: Hamstring strain
Team: Santos
Matches Missed: 3
2012
Date: Nov 5
Injury: Ankle twist
Team: Santos
Matches Missed: 2
2014
Date: Jul 4
Injury: Vertebra fracture
Team: Brazil
Matches Missed: 3
2015
Date: Aug 8
Injury: 4 injuries
Team: Barcelona
Matches Missed: 11
2016
Date: Feb 20
Injury: Hamstring tear
Team: Barcelona
Matches Missed: 3
2017
Date: From Jan 12
Injury: 5 injuries
Team: Barcelona
Matches Missed: 24
2018
Date: From Feb 25
Injury: 7 injuries
Team: PSG
Matches Missed: 36
2019
Date: From Jan 23
Injury: 3 injuries
Team: PSG
Matches Missed: 16
2020
Date: Sep 10
Injury: Adductor strain
Team: PSG
Matches Missed: 9
2021
Date: Nov 28
Injury: 4 injuries
Team: PSG
Matches Missed: 21
2022
Date: Dec 2
Injury: 2 Ankle injuries
Team: PSG
Matches Missed: 20
2023
Date: Feb 19
Injury: Muscular problem
Team: PSG
Matches Missed: 5
2023
Date: Oct 17
Injury: ACL tear & meniscus tear
Team: Al-Hilal
Matches Missed: 48
2024
Injury: 5 injuries
Team: Al-Hilal
Matches Missed: 33
2025
Date: Mar 5
Injury: Thigh strain
Team: Santos
Matches Missed: 5
2025
Date: Apr 15
Injury: Hamstring strain
Team: Santos
Matches Missed: 7
2025
Date: Sept 1
Injury: Thigh injury
Team: Santos
Matches Missed: Ongoing
Neymar’s long career has seen several major injuries, of which shaped the way he played. In 2014, Neymar was forced into a World Cup quarterfinal exit by a knee from Juan Camilo Ziga that fractured his L3 vertebra.
He missed Brazil’s semifinal, losing to Germany 7-1 to end their hopes of a home tournament. It took Neymar six weeks to recover, and he also threw out a Copa América preseason in 2015.
Still, his last spell at PSG proved a disappointing one. A metatarsal fracture in February 2018 required surgery, taking him out for three months and 16 appearances, all of which included the Champions League knockout games.
His next break came in January 2019, leaving PSG thumping Manchester United, before undergoing ankle surgery that left him out for 28 matches during his final spell in Paris.
After only seven matches at Al-Hilal, Neymar suffered an ACL tear and a meniscus tear that completed a full season in Saudi Pro League, 48 matches during the season, another injury from a Brazil qualifier, which also ended the Brazilian superstar's international career.
Since his debut in 2009 at Santos, and returning in 2025, he has been out injured at least 249 matches in all clubs he played and his country's national team, with the longest periods spanning about 21 matches with Santos (2009–2013), 41 matches with Barcelona (2013–2017), 158 matches with PSG (2017–2023), 33 matches with Al-Hilal (2023–2024) and around 30 matches in Brazil.
The most common injuries Neymar has faced are to his ankles, feet, and hamstrings, driven by his fast, agile playing style.
Ankle injuries are the most frequent, with at least 10 cases, such as the 2021 PSG ligament issue or the 2022 World Cup sprain, totaling over 50 missed matches. Foot injuries, particularly metatarsal fractures in 2018 and 2019 at PSG, account for around 30 missed games.
Hamstring strains, like those in 2016 at Barcelona and 2025 at Santos, have occurred about eight times, costing over 30 matches. These three injury types, ankle, foot, and hamstring, represent roughly 70% of his total injuries.
Neymar’s battle with injuries has gone on for decades and has been determined by his daring style of play on the pitch. His dribbling, quick turns and explosive sprints create troubles for opponents as he moves in those quick movements, but they are also demanding on the body.
His small build, as well as the high degrees of flex he needs when turning past a player, and the tightness of his ankles, feet and hamstrings, means he gets repeated ankle injuries. In 2018 and 2019, his metatarsal fractures were the result of a tackle.
Recovery hasn’t always been smooth. After his 2023 ACL and meniscus tear at Al-Hilal, Neymar needed 10 months of surgery and rehab, returning cautious but not fully himself.
Incomplete recoveries, like rushing back for PSG in 2019, made injuries recur, his foot issues flared up within a year. At Santos in 2025, he’s tried to adapt, relying less on wild sprints, but hamstring and thigh strains still hit, showing his style remains risky.
Despite this, Neymar’s skill keeps shining but his body pays the price, and fans wonder if he’ll ever stay fit long-term.
Neymar’s injuries have cost him over 249 matches since 2009, more than many top players. His ankle, foot, and hamstring issues, especially at PSG (119 games missed), hurt his chase for greatness.
Lionel Messi missed 196 matches from 53 injuries, mostly early in his Barcelona days with hamstring and knee problems. Better fitness later kept him on the pitch, securing eight Ballons d’Or.
Cristiano Ronaldo, with only 29 injuries and 85 missed games, is a fitness freak. His worst, a 2014 knee issue, barely slowed him down at 40. Eden Hazard, like Neymar, struggled with 30+ injuries, missing 64 games, mainly from ankle fractures at Real Madrid that ended his prime.
Kylian Mbappé, Neymar’s ex-PSG teammate, has missed about 50 games from 16 injuries, mostly hamstrings, but bounces back fast at 26.
Neymar’s 44 injuries and 258 missed matches paint a tough picture. At 33, with over 1,493 days sidelined, his body has taken a beating from his dazzling, high-risk style.
Ankle sprains, metatarsal fractures, and hamstring strains have robbed him of key moments, World Cups, Champions League runs, and now Santos’ relegation fight. His 2023 ACL tear, wiping out a full Al-Hilal season, and recent 2025 thigh and hamstring issues show the problem persists.
His future hinges on change. Neymar’s tried tweaking his game at Santos, leaning less on explosive dribbles, but injuries still creep in. With Brazil eyeing the 2026 World Cup, coach Carlo Ancelotti’s 2025 squad snub signals Neymar must prove his fitness. His talent and career goals, remains undeniable, but staying on the pitch is the challenge.
If he can manage recoveries better and avoid risky plays, he might add one last chapter. Otherwise, his legacy, though brilliant, will carry the weight of what could have been. Fans hope the prince can still shine.