Brazil and PSG forward Neymar is scheduled to go under the (Surgeon's) knife this weekend after fracturing a metatarsal and spraining an ankle in his last league match on Sunday.
Expected to be out for no less than 3 months thereafter, fears are growing in some quarters that one of the best footballers on the planet may not be fit in time for the World Cup in June.
That said, Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, who confirmed the news to reporters, said the 26-year-old star should be fit in time for the World Cup.
However, the £200m world record signing will miss the rest of PSG's season.
PSG coach Unai Emery initially said Neymar had a "small chance" of facing Real Madrid in the Champions League next week, before Neymar's father said he would be out for "six to eight weeks".
Lasmar, in quotes reported by O Globo, said: "The operation will be in Belo Horizonte on Saturday morning, and the recovery takes from two and a half months to three months.
Neymar is sad, but understands he has no alternative now. He will devote himself to being well as soon as possible".
Legendary celebrity ex-footballer David Beckham suffers a similar injury close to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea but recovered in time to feature in the tournament.