Eder Militao is out of the World Cup. The Real Madrid defender turned down a fast but risky recovery to undergo surgery in Finland. He will be sidelined for five months.
Eder Militao will undergo surgery this week in Finland after being forced to leave the match against Alaves with hamstring discomfort, which was later diagnosed by Real Madrid’s medical staff as an injury to the biceps femoris of his left leg.
Therefore, after opting for surgery, the Brazilian center-back will miss the World Cup and is looking at around five months to recover, another hard blow to his career.
Militao decided to go under the knife after a period of reflection in which he also considered the option of conservative treatment that would have significantly reduced his time out to around five weeks. But that alternative, which almost certainly would have allowed him to reach the World Cup with Brazil, carried a much higher risk of relapse. Something that, in principle, is reduced with surgery.
The surgeon tasked with operating on Militao is the renowned Lasse Lempainen, considered the best specialist in the world for injuries like the one suffered by the Brazilian in the match against Alaves, when he attempted a shot on goal in a rather awkward position.
Militao’s injury is the third muscular injury he has suffered this season, in which he has barely been able to play around 20 matches. The previous one, another muscle injury affecting the tendon, kept him out for four months, during which he missed 24 matches.
Injuries are not giving Militao a break, as he has also suffered two ACL tears in recent years. In August 2023, he injured his left knee and was sidelined until March 2024. In November of that same year, he suffered a complete ACL tear affecting both menisci. He was sidelined until July 2025.
For a defender who relies on explosiveness and physical power, this is heartbreaking. Militao, 27, has spent more time in recovery rooms than on the pitch since 2023. Three muscle injuries and two ACL tears in just over two years.
The body sends signals, and they have been loud and clear. Surgery in Finland offers hope for a cleaner recovery, but the mental toll? That is the hidden scar. Football can be cruel, and right now, it is being very cruel to him.
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