Brazil's post-match celebration was short-lived Friday. Neymar has been ruled out of the World Cup after the team's doctor confirmed he suffered a broken vertebra in their 2-1 quarterfinal victory against Colombia.
Here is some of the initial reaction to the news:
Courtesy of BBC: fans wait outside the hospital in Fortaleza where Neymar was taken pic.twitter.com/7goXMUBweL
- Andi Petrillo (@AndiPetrillo) July 5, 2014
Here was the scene as Neymar was en route to the hospital:
More reaction to his injury:
Copacabana packed with thousands of Brazilians yet eerily silent post Neymar injury. "We won battle but lost war" one tells me
- roger bennett (@rogbennett) July 4, 2014
Neymar is out of the World Cup with a fractured vertebra. He has 35 int'l goals, more than any two others on Brazil's roster combined.
- Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) July 4, 2014
Hate to hear the news on Neymar! What a player. Have a speedy recovery/Get well asap man! #HesABeast #MyKidsFavPlayer
- LeBron James (@KingJames) July 5, 2014
Sad hearing the news @neymarjr ..Have a speedy recovery
- Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) July 5, 2014
Sad if 100% true about @neymarjr being out of tournament, want to see all the big names fit & playing.
- Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) July 5, 2014
I wonder if Brazil - less Neymar and Thiago Silva (star player and captain) - can beat Germany. Huge game. Crowd momentum helps though!
- John Cross (@johncrossmirror) July 5, 2014
A hush has fallen across parts of Copacabana, as if the Neymar injury news has reached revellers in Rio. Huge loss to #bra & #WorldCup
- Henry Winter (@henrywinter) July 4, 2014
Happy with our victory today, can't wait to face #Brasil, sad for @NeymarJr hope you get better soon #ForçaNeymar #éTois #poldi #worldcup
- Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) July 5, 2014
Brazil can still win this but it's going to be an even more brutal grind than tonight, especially with Oscar stuck doing defensive homework.
- Musa Okwonga (@Okwonga) July 5, 2014
Forget the World Cup, I'm more concerned with the rest of his career.
- Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) July 5, 2014
Juan Zuniga, the player who challenged Neymar, defending himself here. "I never meant to hurt a player. I was just defending my shirt."
- Daniel Taylor (@DTguardian) July 5, 2014
Júlio César on Neymar: "It's an enormous sadness. We all know how determined he was to shine, how he brings joy to the #BRA people."
- Jack Lang (@snap_kaka_pop) July 5, 2014
There really isn't a parallel to how insane this is. Imagine if LeBron broke his back during the NBA playoffs, which were held at his house
- Pablo S. Torre (@PabloTorre) July 4, 2014
Not buying the gloom and doom re #BRA. Even without Neymar + Silva, still one of best teams in world. Still favourites with home pitch adv.
- Mike Zeisberger (@Zeisberger) July 4, 2014
The good news for Brazil is Hulk is playing well now. Fred was better tonight, too. #WC2014
- Kurtis Larson (@KurtLarSUN) July 5, 2014