Doctors say Chapecoense defender who survived crash could play soccer again

Chapecoense defender Neto has a chance to make a full recovery after surviving the team’s fatal plane crash, and could play soccer again in the future, his father says.

Neto’s father reportedly posted on Facebook that their family has “renewed hope and faith” as his son’s condition improves. "My son is getting better and better. He has just undergone surgery on his leg and doctors say he will return to football," he wrote.

The central defender was one of six survivors (three of them players) of the crash that killed 71 people, including players and staffers of the Brazilian club. He is reportedly stable after having surgeries on his lung, wrist, knee and head.

Chapecoense’s team charter flight crashed after running out of fuel while attempting to land in Medellín, Colombia, the site of the Copa Sudamericana where they were set to play Atletico Nacional.

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