Injured Neymar hugs his Brazilian team-mates: scenes from Fortaleza airport last night

These are the scenes from Fortaleza airport last night where Neymar junior, suffering with a fractured vertebra, was able to hug his Brazilian team-mates.


Neymar was injured by Colombia's Juan Camilo Zuniga late in the 2-1 quarter-final win and was rushed to hospital, with coach Filipe Scolari claiming his star striker - with four goals and an assist - had been "hunted for the last three games."

Global impact: Argentine fans offer their condolences
before tonight's QF against Belgium 

With FIFA announcing they will "investigate the circumstances of Neymar's injury", the 22-year-old was well enough to sit up and chat to his team-mates, who will also be without suspended captain Thiago Silva against Germany in what promises to be an epic semi-final on Tuesday.


Neymar's x-rays have been screed on Brazilian television and the media have paid more attention to their fallen hero than a win inspired by Silva's early scrambled goal and a superb David Luiz free-kick.

Accidental? Zuniga fouls Neymar, who cracked a vertebra

Neymar apparently flew back to Rio with the team and was taken by ambulance Brazil's base camp. Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo has been criticized (and Zuniga has allegedly received death threats) for failing to control a match which featured 54 fouls — 31 from Brazil, 8 on Colombian Golden Boot leader James Rodriguez. He issued four yellow cards but none for the almost routine fouls on Rodriguez.


Barcelona star Neymar will be out for "four to six weeks" and will not require surgery.

The big guns go through: My predictions made after Group Stages: 11 out of 12 results correct so far!

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