The winger was withdrawn inside half an hour of the 2-1 defeat to Colombia on Thursday night with a thigh complaint, although he was still on the pitch long enough to provide an early assist for Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli. With a crucial game coming up against Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Tuesday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) have since confirmed that Vinicius has withdrawn from the squad.
The Real Madrid star has been struggling with thigh and hamstring issues this season, and he has returned to his club with his national team clearly unwilling to compromise his long-term fitness. He will miss the clash with arch-rivals Argentina as a result, with Brazil in dire need of a victory against the World Cup holders. Lionel Messi and co top the South American qualifying pool with 12 points, while the Selecao are lagging behind in fifth with just seven points.
