<p>A confident Arturo Vidal said his knee cartilage surgery in Barcelona on Wednesday was a success, rekindling Chilean hopes that he may yet make it to the World Cup finals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The operation went very well!!!," the Juventus midfielder said on Twitter. "Now I'm going to give my all to be with my fellow players in Brazil."<br /><br />A picture attached to the tweet showed a grinning Vidal flashing a thumbs-up sign above his thickly bandaged right leg. Hovering over the hospital bed was fellow Chilean soccer star Alexis Sanchez who plays for Barcelona.<br /><br />A key member of Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli's team, Vidal suffered a tear to the external meniscus in his right knee. He aggravated the problem playing for Juventus, crowned Serie A champions at the weekend, in the second leg of their Europa League semifinal against Benfica last Thursday. Chile are pinning their hopes on the versatile and energetic 26-year-old player in a tough group at the tournament in Brazil starting on June 12.<br /><br />The head of the Chilean football federation, Sergio Jadue, said on Wednesday Vidal had assured him he would be there. Vidal's absence would be a major blow to the Andean team, who face world champions Spain, the Netherlands and Australia in Group B. Speculation surrounding Vidal's condition has reached fever-pitch in soccer-crazed Chile, with reporters even asking president Michelle Bachelet, a doctor by training, about his recovery.<br /></p>
<p>A confident Arturo Vidal said his knee cartilage surgery in Barcelona on Wednesday was a success, rekindling Chilean hopes that he may yet make it to the World Cup finals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The operation went very well!!!," the Juventus midfielder said on Twitter. "Now I'm going to give my all to be with my fellow players in Brazil."<br /><br />A picture attached to the tweet showed a grinning Vidal flashing a thumbs-up sign above his thickly bandaged right leg. Hovering over the hospital bed was fellow Chilean soccer star Alexis Sanchez who plays for Barcelona.<br /><br />A key member of Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli's team, Vidal suffered a tear to the external meniscus in his right knee. He aggravated the problem playing for Juventus, crowned Serie A champions at the weekend, in the second leg of their Europa League semifinal against Benfica last Thursday. Chile are pinning their hopes on the versatile and energetic 26-year-old player in a tough group at the tournament in Brazil starting on June 12.<br /><br />The head of the Chilean football federation, Sergio Jadue, said on Wednesday Vidal had assured him he would be there. Vidal's absence would be a major blow to the Andean team, who face world champions Spain, the Netherlands and Australia in Group B. Speculation surrounding Vidal's condition has reached fever-pitch in soccer-crazed Chile, with reporters even asking president Michelle Bachelet, a doctor by training, about his recovery.<br /></p>