Neymar Reveals Terrifying Extent of 'Painful' World Cup Back Injury: 'I Couldn't Feel My Legs'

Neymar has lifted the lid on the "painful" moment that his 2014 World Cup dream was over after that tackle on Brazil superstar by Colombia's Juan Camilo Zuniga.

The Paris Saint-Germain ace was interviewed by former Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique for the Players' Tribune and was asked about the incident by the Spanish centre-back.

Brazil were leading 2-0 in their eventual 2-1 quarter-final victory over their South American rivals almost four years ago when Zuniga's challenge on Neymar left the forward writhing around in agony on the pitch.

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Neymar was subsequently stretchered off the field after extensive treatment, and he explained just what he felt at the time - and in the following weeks and months - after the incident.

He said: "I couldn’t manage to lift my legs. I couldn’t move my legs. And the doctor took me out and I started to … to cry. Because it was very painful and I didn’t feel anything. 

"I didn’t feel my legs, so I went to the hospital that’s in the stadium. And there they left me and I remember that I was with my leg bent like this, and when I stretched it out…. incredible pain, incredible. And then I understood that there was no way to continue."

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Continuing on with his story, the 25-year-old went on to state what unfolded after he had been admitted to hospital and had a series of tests conducted on his back, legs and torso.

Neymar continued: "They told me: 'I have two pieces of news. One good and one bad.' And I was like: 'The bad one first'.

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"'The bad one: You can’t play the World Cup. It’s over for you.' And I’m like: 'What’s the good one?' (They said:) 'The good one is that afterward you will be able to walk, because two centimeters to the side … football is over for you'

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"And … well … there … there I just want them to tell my family. And they were all there — my girlfriend, my dad, my sister, mom, friends. They tell them that they can see me, and well, then a whole bad week started.

"I was in a wheelchair. And I went home, and there I watched it all (Brazil's 7-1 thrashing to Germany in the semi-final."