Ngolo Kante © Getty Images
Below is a list of players who have been ruled out or are uncertain due to injury for the FIFA World Cup, which runs from Sunday to December 18.
PAUL POGBA (FRANCE)
Pogba injured his knee in pre-season and underwent surgery in September to repair a damaged meniscus.
The 29-year-old returned to training but on October 31 his agent said the midfielder would not return to action for Juventus or world champions France ahead of the World Cup.
N’GOLO KANTE (FRANCE)
The Chelsea midfielder has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation following a hamstring injury which has limited him to two league appearances this season. He will be out for four months after undergoing surgery.
?? FRANCE IN DIFFICULTY??
? Karim Benzema
?Ngolo Kante
Paul Pogba
?Christopher Nkunku?? Missing key personnel Does this mean France won’t be up to the task in the group stages? #Fifa World Cup #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/BfMZYPuLYk— Dziugas Kandrotas (@DziugasJourno) November 20, 2022
GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM (NETHERLANDS)
AS Roma midfielder Wijnaldum broke his leg in August, ruling him out of the World Cup.
FLORIAN WIRTZ (GERMANY)
Bayer Leverkusen’s Wirtz has featured four times for Germany in 2021 but hasn’t made an appearance for club or country since suffering a knee injury in March.
MIKE MAIGNAN (FRANCE)
AC Milan goalkeeper Maignan, who has made four appearances for France, has been left out of his World Cup squad with a calf injury.
MIKEL OYARZABAL (SPAIN)
Real Sociedad striker Oyarzabal ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during training in March and was unable to recover in time to make Spain’s World Cup squad.
TIMO WERNER (GERMANY)
The RB Leipzig striker, 26, injured his ankle in their 4-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk in early November and will be sidelined for the rest of 2022.
REECE JAMES (ENGLAND)
The 22-year-old right-back suffered a knee injury in Chelsea’s Champions League clash against AC Milan in October and has said he will not make the England squad.
DIOGO JOTA (PORTUGAL)
The Liverpool striker will miss the tournament with a calf injury sustained in their win over Manchester City, but Premier League club manager Jurgen Klopp has said he won’t need to be operated.
PEDRO NETO (PORTUGAL)
The 22-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers winger will undergo surgery for an ankle injury suffered against West Ham United in October.
BOUBACAR KAMARA (FRANCE)
The Aston Villa midfielder suffered a knee ligament injury in September which will rule him out after the World Cup.
ARTHUR MELO (BRAZIL)
The on-loan Liverpool midfielder suffered a muscle injury in the build-up to a Champions League clash with Rangers in October.
SCOTT KENNEDY (CANADA)
The 25-year-old defender suffered a shoulder injury at the end of October while playing for SSV Jahn Regensburg in Germany’s second division.
JESUS ’TECATITO’ CORONA (MEXICO)
The Sevilla winger suffered a broken left ankle while training with the LaLiga club in August and underwent surgery.
GIOVANI LO CELSO (ARGENTINA)
The midfielder suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Villarreal. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni described him as “irreplaceable” when appointing his team.
MARCO REUS (GERMANY)
The Borussia Dortmund captain injured his ankle and didn’t fully recover in time. Reus also missed the 2014 World Cup after picking up an injury on the eve of Germany leaving for Brazil, where they won the title.
BEN CHILWELL (ENGLAND)
Left-back Ben Chilwell suffered a hamstring injury during injury time in Chelsea’s Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb and said days later he had suffered ‘significant damage’ which left him would exclude from the World Cup.
PRESNEL KIMPEMBE (FRANCE)
The Paris St Germain centre-back has ruled himself out with a hamstring injury.
YUTA NAKAYAMA (JAPAN)
The defender will miss the World Cup after being ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.
AMINE HARIT (MOROCCO)
Moroccan Olympique de Marseille striker Amine Harit suffered a knee injury during a Ligue 1 match against AS Monaco, which ruled him out of the tournament.
SADIO MANÉ (SENEGAL)
Sadio Mane was named in Senegal’s World Cup squad despite sustaining an injury while playing for Bayern Munich, but was ruled out of the tournament after officials confirmed he would need surgery on the injury .
CHRISTOPHE NKUNKU (FRANCE)
The RB Leipzig striker was included in France’s World Cup squad but was ruled out of the tournament after injuring his left knee following a tackle from team-mate Eduardo Camavinga at the coaching.
JOSE GAYA (SPAIN)
Valencia left-back Jose Gaya has been dropped from Spain’s World Cup squad in Qatar after suffering an ankle injury in training.
MAXIME CREPEAU (CANADA)
Goalkeeper Crepeau was ruled out of the tournament after breaking his leg while playing for Los Angeles FC in the MLS Cup final earlier this month.
JOAQUIN CORREA (ARGENTINA)
Inter Milan striker Correa has been dropped from Argentina’s World Cup squad in Qatar after suffering an injury.
NICOLAS GONZALEZ (ARGENTINA)
Fiorentina striker Gonzalez has been dropped from Argentina’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar due to a muscle injury.
KARIM BENZEMA (FRANCE)
Real Madrid striker and Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup for France after picking up an injury in training the day before the tournament started.