Neymar flies to Sao Paulo to begin recovery after Brazil star is ruled out of World Cup

Neymar has been flown to Sao Paulo by helicopter as the Brazil superstar begins his recovery from injury.

The forward was transported by ambulance to a waiting military helicopter before he was lifted on via a stretcher.

The 22-year-old managed a brief wave before taking off from Rio.

Neymar broke his third vertebra two minutes from full time as Brazil beat Colombia 2-1 to reach the World Cup semi-finals on Friday night.

But the host nation will have to win the trophy without their talisman after he was ruled out of

action for several weeks.

Earlier, Neymar was given a hero's welcome by his Brazil team-mates as he flew back to the Selecao's training camp. And before he boarded an ambulance, which took him to the team's camp in the mountain city of Teresopolis, there were emotional scenes on the Rio tarmac. 

Sat in a wheelchair, he was wished well by his team-mates with a number of stars, such as Thiago Silva and David Luiz, clearly overwhelmed by the situation in footage released by the Brazilian FA. 

The shocking extent of Neymar's back injury has also been revealed after an image of his broken vertebra surfaced.

Neymar was kneed by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zuniga late in the second half of Brazil's win in Fortaleza.

And an X-ray shown on Brazilian TV reveals the striker suffered a clean break of his vertebra but he is not expected to need surgery, according to the Brazilian FA.  

Tributes poured in for  Neymar, with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Lionel Messi and Mario Balotelli wishing the striker well. Neymar's Barcelona team-mate Messi wrote on his Facebook page: 
 'Neymar, I hope you recover very soon friend!'

Neymar - the poster boy of the World Cup - was hurt in the 86th minute, falling to the ground in pain after Zuniga jumped into him from behind. 

He was carried off the field in tears on a stretcher and 'screamed in pain in the dressing room' before being taken to the hospital. Images show Neymar on a drip as he arrives at the hospital.

Culled from daily mail uk