Top > Sport > 2006 > June > 2006-06-04

Brazilian Star Ruled Unfit for Germany

Less than a week before the opening matches of FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany on June 9, news come from world champions Brazil that their Barcelona defender start, Edmilson, has suffered an injury to his right knee and won`t be able to play for Brazil in Germany. This comes as really bad new for the Brazilian team as Edmilson is one of their stronger players and was expected to deliver a brilliant performance in Germany.

Edmilson suffered an injury to his right knee during one of the team`s warm-up matches last Monday, said the team doctor, Jose Luis Runco, on Wednesday. After a scan that showed Edmilson`s condition was not good, it was decided that the 30-year-old Sao Paulo`s Mineiro would substitute for Barcelona`s star.

`He had a rupture on the lateral side of the meniscus of the right knee, it is an injury that makes him unfit to compete,` Runco told a news conference. Brazil will play their opening Group F game on June 13 against Croatia. Other opposition that awaits Brazil in Group F are Australia and Japan.