Unfortunately, there are always players who are unable to participate in major finals due to injury and football fans will have to do without some well-known names at the Qatar World Cup 2022 . On this page we have compiled all the national team players who are injured and will not recover in time to be in the World Cup.
Some pros know months in advance that they won't be fit for the final. Typical long-term injuries include knee injuries such as torn cruciate ligaments, but also ankle injuries, ruptured Achilles tendon or ruptured tibia or fibula that often end prematurely the dream of participating in the big event.
Other professionals make it to the 2022 World Cup squads , but then get injured late in the season with their club or in immediate preparation with the national team.
It also remains to be seen to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic will frustrate some players again. At Euro 2021 , the Netherlands' starting goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen or Russia's Andrey Mostovoy had to stay home due to COVID-19.
Casualties and injuries in the 2022 World Cup.
Especially in this extraordinary World Cup to be held in winter, many players could miss the final round due to injuries. This is due to the fact that between the last day of the league before the winter break and the start of the tournament in Qatar, there is a preparation time of one or two weeks for most of the professionals who will contest the tournament.
In the table above we list all the players who will not be eligible to participate in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, due to injury or illness. To find out more details about the corresponding problem, click on the player's name in the table.
Diogo Jota (🇵🇹 Portugal) – Calf injury
The Portuguese team has suffered a serious loss in Diogo Jota. The star striker injured his calf in Liverpool FC's Premier League match against Manchester City and is out for the 2022 World Cup.
Jota is a central player in coach Fernando Santos' system and is difficult to replace due to his experience. It is not yet clear how long Diogo Jota will be out. However, what is certain is that it will be several months before he returns to the pitch.
Jacek Goralski (🇵🇱 Poland) – Muscle injury.
Polish midfielder Jacek Goralski will be absent for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after suffering a muscle injury. The Bochum player has been plagued by injuries throughout the season and has only featured in three games for VfL Bochum. In addition, he will miss the Polish team 's meeting in Qatar against Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia in the group stage.
Pedro Neto (🇵🇹 Portugal) – Ankle injury.
Already in Euro 2021, the Portuguese Pedro Neto was left out of the competition due to a knee injury. Now, the 22-year-old winger from Wolverhampton Wanderers is out for the World Cup in Qatar. The young talent had to undergo surgery after suffering an ankle injury against West Ham United in early October and will not arrive in time. However, the Portuguese team is in the group of favorites for the 2022 World Cup.
N'Golo Kanté (🇫🇷 France) – Thigh injury.
The bitter news for France coach Didier Deschamps is endless. After Pogba and Kamara, another important central midfielder, N'Golo Kanté, is absent for the Persian Gulf tournament. According to Deschamps, Kanté has had physical problems for two years and his rehabilitation will continue beyond the World Cup. Kanté played his last game for Chelsea FC in mid-August, before having to miss out again with a thigh injury.
The 31-year-old was one of the mainstays of the French team when they won the title at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and stood out for his running style and fighting spirit.
Arthur Melo (🇧🇷 Brazil) – Muscle injury.
the brazilian team has also suffered its first defeat. Liverpool FC midfielder Arthur Melo had to undergo surgery for a muscle injury and will be out for up to four months. Therefore, the 26-year-old is no longer eligible for the Brazil 2022 World Cup squad.
Reece James (🏴 England) – Knee Injury.
Chelsea player Reece James suffered a knee injury in the Champions League match against AC Milan on October 11, 2022 and will have to rest for eight weeks. According to this, the World Cup in Qatar will also come too soon for the 22-year-old: the England team will probably have to do without James.
Alexis Saelemaekers (🇧🇪 Belgium) – Torn ligaments (knee).
Alexis Saelemaekers of AC Milan would have had an excellent opportunity to be part of the Belgian team for the 2022 World Cup, but a knee injury shattered his dream of participating in a World Cup for the first time. The 23-year-old suffered a torn lateral ligament in his left knee in the Serie A match against Empoli on 1 October 2022 and will likely be out until the end of the year.
Boubacar Kamara (🇫🇷 France) – Knee problems.
Due to a knee injury, the 22-year-old will miss out on his first World Cup opportunity with France's senior team. After Pogba, coach Didier Deschamps will have to do without another midfielder in the tournament.
Ronald Araújo (🇺🇾 Uruguay) – Broken tendon.
Uruguay will be without Barça defender Ronald Araújo for the final phase. The 23-year-old tore a tendon in his right adductor in the World Cup test match against Iran on 23 September and had to be substituted after just five minutes of play. After the operation, he will be out for two and a half to three months, which destroys his dream of participating in the World Cup for the first time with the Uruguayan national team.
Florian Neuhaus (🇩🇪 Germany) – Partial cruciate ligament rupture.
After the partial rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, Florian Neuhaus's World Cup is over. The Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder was injured in the 0-0 draw against SC Freiburg on September 11, 2022 and he is expected to be sidelined for three months. This means that the World Cup finals in Qatar is no longer a possibility for the 25-year-old.
Bouna Sarr (🇸🇳 Senegal) – Patellar tendon problems.
Even if he isn't at Bayern Munich, Bouna Sarr could be more than a substitute in Senegal's World Cup squad . However, persistent problems with the patellar tendon will force the defender to undergo knee surgery. This means he won't be available until 2023 at the best of times and won't be able to repeat a success like Senegal had at the African Cup of Nations in 2021.
Sarr's injury has no real impact on Bayern. Coach Nagelsmann did not give the 30-year-old player a single minute, who arrived from Marseille in 2020.
Paul Pogba (🇫🇷 France) – Meniscus injury.
The final phase in Qatar, which begins on November 20 with the opening match of the 2022 World Cup against Ecuador, will also be very difficult for Frenchman Paul Pogba. His club Juventus announced on September 5, 2022 that Pogba would undergo surgery for a meniscus injury that he contracted in the pre-season in the United States.
Juve manager Allegri said of the length of his absence: "Actually, we'll have him back in January." If this prediction is correct, Pogba will also be absent from the French national team at the 2022 World Cup.
Georginio Wijnaldum (🇳🇱 Netherlands) – Broken Tibia.
After Dutch international Georginio Wijnaldum broke his tibia in AS Roma training on August 21, his World Cup dream was shattered. An injury like this requires a break of several months.
The Netherlands national team will start the tournament in Group A of the World Cup on November 21 and will face Qatar, Senegal and Ecuador.
Lukas Klostermann (🇩🇪 Germany) – Syndesmosis tendon rupture.
The 2022 World Cup will be very difficult for Lukas Klostermann. The RB Leipzig defender, who would surely be in Germany's World Cup squad , suffered a ruptured syndesmosis ligament in a 1-1 draw against VfB Stuttgart on August 7, 2022 and will have to undergo surgery. His foot won't be able to bear weight for several weeks, so reaching the finals in Qatar would be very difficult.
Germany will play its first match of Group E of the World Cup on November 23 against Japan.
Sergio Agüero (🇦🇷 Argentina) – Heart problems.
Star striker Sergio Aguero's injury is not typical: he had to end his entire football career due to heart problems. Last summer, the former Manchester City and Barça player won the 2021 Copa América with the Argentina shirt, followed by a setback in the Barcelona vs. Alaves at the end of October.
Further investigation revealed that Agüero suffered from cardiac arrhythmia. Through tears, the attacker finally announced the end of his football career on December 15, 2021
Source images: FIFA.
2.977 SRY