Rodrygo Goes’ father hopes for return to action before February 2027

Rodrygo Goes is zeroing in on December 16 as his return date, targeting a Copa del Rey fixture as his first competitive appearance since tearing his ACL nine months ago. If the timeline holds, it would represent a recovery that lands right in the middle of the original 10-to-12-month projection. The 25-year-old Brazilian forward has been working his way back at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training facility, where he’s already resumed on-pitch sessions. The injury and what it cost him Rodrygo’s season came to a brutal halt on March 2, 2026, during a La Liga match against Getafe. The diagnosis was a torn anterior cruciate ligament plus lateral meniscus damage in his right knee. Surgery followed, and a 10-to-12-month recovery window meant the remainder of the 2025-26 season was gone immediately. More painfully, it meant the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico was off the table entirely. Recovery progress and the December target By early September 2026, roughly six months post-surgery, Rodrygo’s father offered a cautiously optimistic update. He expressed hope that his son would return to competitive action “before February” 2027. The December 16 Copa del Rey match...