DOHA, Qatar — Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus has undergone surgery on a knee injury that ended his involvement at the World Cup, Arsenal said Tuesday.

Jesus was hurt in Brazil’s 1-0 loss to Cameroon in the group stage on Friday.

Arsenal, the Premier League leader, didn’t say for how long the striker will be sidelined.

“Gabby will now begin his rehabilitation program,” the London club said. “Everyone at the club is supporting Gabby and will be working hard to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible.”

Brazil advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals after beating South Korea 4-1 on Monday.

CAMEROON: Cameroon soccer federation president and former star player Samuel Eto’o apologized for kicking a man to the ground in what he called a “violent altercation” outside a World Cup stadium early Tuesday.

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Eto’o had paused to pose for photos with fans near Stadium 974 after Brazil beat South Korea 4-1. Footage circulating on social media showed him then reacting to comments by a man holding a camera.

The former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward was initially held back by people in his entourage, but he then got clear and appeared to aim a kick at the man, who fell backward to the ground.

“I had a violent altercation with a person who was probably an Algerian supporter,” Eto’o wrote in statements posted in French and English on his Twitter account, citing a months-long campaign by that country’s fans against Cameroon since their World Cup playoff in March.

“I would like to apologize for losing my temper and reacting in a way that does not match my personality,” said Eto’o, who has represented Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee as a Global Legacy Ambassador since 2019.

The man, Algerian social media personality Said Mamouni, later published a video on YouTube saying he was the person who was attacked, and that he was at a Qatari police station to file a complaint against Eto’o.

“Samuel had a fight with me. He hit me, and the one accompanying him pushed me. I’m here to lodge a complaint and he also smashed my camera,” Mamouni said.

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He said that Eto’o became violent after Mamouni asked him whether he had bribed Gambian referee Bakary Gassama in a controversial World Cup qualifying game between Cameroon and Algeria. Cameroon won the second leg 2-1 in the final moments of the match and qualified for the World Cup on the away goals rule.

Algeria’s soccer federation filed a complaint with FIFA, soccer’s governing body, demanding a replay of the match because of what it deemed were referring errors made by Gassama. FIFA dismissed the complaint.

But Algeria’s grievance also carried over to the Cameroon team’s first official news conference in Qatar, one day before playing Switzerland. An Algerian reporter’s question to Cameroon Coach Rigobert Song about having “bought qualification” wasn’t answered.

POLAND: Poland’s prime minister backed down from his initial declaration to award bonuses to the national soccer team for its World Cup performance amid high inflation and hardship in the country.

It was a sudden reversal by Mateusz Morawiecki, who just hours earlier said he believed the players had earned some kind of a bonus by advancing from their group, Poland’s best result at the tournament in 36 years.

But following controversy fueled by high inflation and general uncertainty, Morawiecki eventually said on Facebook that “there will be no government means” for bonuses for the players.

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He said that lack of sufficient financing is among the problems standing in the way of Poland’s soccer development. He added that state money will be dedicated to amend that.

Earlier in the day he was saying that the national team, including star striker Robert Lewandowski, had earned a bonus.

At a meeting before the team left for Qatar, Morawiecki promised players a “very good reward” if things go well. Media reports said there was talk of at least 30 million zlotys ($6.7 million.)

Poland advanced from Group C after defeating Saudi Arabia, drawing with Mexico and losing to Argentina. It was then eliminated in the round of 16 by defending champion France 3-1.


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