At a glance
- Eder Militao has decided to undergo surgery in Finland later this week.
- This means he’ll miss the World Cup with Brazil, and be out of action for around five months in total.
- The knock is the fourth major injury Militao has suffered since 2023.
Real Madrid defender Eder Militao has decided to undergo surgery in Finland this week, according to MARCA.
As a a consequence, the 28-year-old will definitely miss the World Cup with Brazil and should be out for around five months meaning he’ll also have to skip the start of the 2026/2027 season.
Militao has reportedly taken the decision despite being aware that conservative treatment would have reduced that timeframe to just five weeks.
In that respect, he’d have made the plane to join Carlo Ancelotti’s squad. Yet the risk of a relapse would have been much greater. And it’s one a player with a history as unfortunate as Militao’s with injuries can’t afford to take.
The surgeon overseeing Militao’s operation will be Lasse Lempainen. The Finn is is considered the world’s leading specialist when it comes that Militao suffered. He hurt himself when attempting a shot on goal against Alaves midweek.
In the days that followed the 2-1 win, news broke that Militao and Arda Guler would be out for the rest of the season with hamstring issues.
As for Militao specifically, though, this is the third muscle injury this season. He’s only been able to participate in 20 matches in 2025/2026 as a consequence, with a tendon knock in December most recently keeping him out for 24 fixtures.
ACL tears in 2023 and 2024 ended his season in those years. But missing the World Cup with Brazil is a fresh disappointment for the Sao Paulo FC academy product.
Ancelotti will have to adjust in North America. Most likely, he’ll field Arsenal’s Gabriel in a central defensive partnership with PSG’s Marquinhos.
Regarding Real Madrid, Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huijsen should continue for Alvaro Arbeloa. Yet Militao’s latest setback means that Florentino Perez might have to start thinking about the future and a long-term replacement for Militao which Huijsen thus far isn’t showing himself to be.
