Ittihad Jeddah winger Roger Fernandes suffers serious ACL injury

Ittihad Jeddah winger Roger Fernandes has been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, with surgery expected to take place within the next few days.

The 19-year-old sustained the injury during a training session on Saturday. The Saudi club confirmed the diagnosis in a statement published on its social media accounts on Sunday, 9 August 2026.

“Medical examinations undergone by the first-team player Roger Fernandes have shown that he has suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee,” the club said.

Ittihad Jeddah added: “The club’s medical staff are currently working to complete the necessary arrangements for the player’s surgical procedure over the next few days.”

The operation will be followed by a treatment and rehabilitation programme designed according to the medical plan prepared for Fernandes’ return to football.

The injury is a significant setback for Fernandes, who joined Ittihad Jeddah last summer after leaving Portuguese club Sporting Braga. It also comes only a few days after teammate Hamad Al-Ghamdi suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament.

The club did not provide a specific timetable for Fernandes’ recovery. His return to competitive action will depend on the outcome of the operation and the progress he makes during rehabilitation, according to the medical programme outlined by Ittihad Jeddah.

Fernandes began his football career with Sporting Braga at the age of 16. He made his first-team debut for the Portuguese club during the 2021-22 season before eventually moving to Ittihad Jeddah last summer.

The confirmation means the winger will now begin the process of treatment ahead of his planned surgery. Until then, the club’s medical department will complete the arrangements required for the procedure and oversee the next stage of his recovery.

Roger Fernandes’ injury follows the same type of serious knee problem suffered by Al-Ghamdi only days earlier, leaving Ittihad Jeddah with two players facing lengthy rehabilitation programmes. Both cases involve damage to the anterior cruciate ligament, although the club’s announcement about Fernandes specifically refers to the left knee.

Ittihad Jeddah said its medical team would continue to manage the winger’s care in line with the plan prepared for his eventual return to the pitch.