Éder Militão will not play again for Real Madrid this season, and he will also miss this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The Brazilian defender underwent an MRI that confirmed a muscle injury in the biceps femoris of his left leg. It is a recurring issue that had been worsening in recent days, ultimately leading to the decision to undergo surgery. That operation will keep him sidelined for around four months, meaning he is expected to be fit just in time for the start of next season.

Injury during the match against Alavés

Militao picked up the injury after feeling a sharp pain in an action just before halftime against Alavés on Tuesday. He immediately asked to be substituted.

The initial diagnosis suggested a recovery time of four to five weeks. However, medical staff and the player ultimately opted for surgery.

Without the operation, he would have been out for roughly five weeks but faced a significant risk of reinjury. With surgery, the recovery timeline extends to four to five months, but it greatly reduces the chances of the problem coming back.

Misses second World Cup with Brazil

The injury also rules Militao out of his second World Cup appearance. He made his tournament debut at Qatar 2022, where he initially started as a backup and did not play in the opening matches.

He eventually earned a starting role, mainly at right back, and became an important part of Brazil’s lineup. However, the five-time winners were eliminated by Croatia in the quarterfinals on penalties after a 1-1 draw, losing 5-3 in the shootout.

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