Playing in the World Cup is probably the dream of every footballer and the fulfillment of their career.
But some top footballers end their careers without making it to the tournament.
Some of those help their team qualify and are good enough to be in the squad, but then miss the flight due to an unfortunate injury, reports Aljazeera.
Here are top footballers who are missing out on World Cup 2022 due to injury.
Paul Pogba (France)
One of the biggest name on the list, Paul Pogba – a World Cup and Euro winner with France, most importantly, vital member of the team – will not be available this time as they look to defend their title in Qatar.
Sadio Mane (Senegal)
Senegal’s football star forward Sadio Mane was on the roster for Qatar but had to be withdrawn two days before the tournament’s opening match on Sunday. Mane suffered a leg injury while playing for his club Bayern Munich earlier this month.
Marcus Reus (Germany)
This German footballer is one of the most unlucky. Marcus Reus has had his share of bad luck when it comes to the World Cup.
The 33-year-old missed the 2014 edition due to injury, and his team went on to lift the trophy. Reus was set to make a comeback after injury and be part of Hansi Flick’s German side for the 2022 World Cup, only for him to aggravate the injury on his ankle and be ruled out yet again.
Diogo Jota (Portugal)
One of Portugal’s main men in attack, Diogo Jota would have been among the first names in his team’s starting XI during their World Cup campaign. But Jota suffered a calf injury representing his club Liverpool during a league match in October.
Amine Harit (Morocco)
Most of Amine Harit’s Moroccan teammates had already landed in Qatar when he sustained an injury that would put him out of the World Cup. The Marseille forward suffered a knee injury in his last club game before heading out for Doha.
Arthur Melo (Brazil)
In one of those incidents when a player gets injured without even being involved in a match, the Brazilian midfielder injured his left thigh while training at his club Liverpool. The injury happened in October and will keep Melo out of the World Cup.
N’Golo Kante (France)
France coach Didier Deschamps will have an N’Golo Kante-sized hole in his midfield when the team takes to the pitch against Australia in their tournament opener. The diverse midfield maestro suffered a serious hamstring injury last month, which has ruled him out until January.
The 33-year-old was a key cog in the French midfield when the Les Blues won their second World Cup four years ago. He was France’s man of the match in some of the games during their run to the tournament and has since been a regular name on the team sheet.
Yuta Nakayama (Japan)
In addition to a long list of forwards and midfielders who have knocked themselves out of the World Cup, Japan’s Yuta Nakayama is one of those working in defence.
The 25-year-old suffered an Achilles injury while playing for his English club Huddersfield Town earlier this month.
Jojo Wallacott (Ghana)
Ghana’s team can expect to find plenty of support in Qatar when they open their World Cup campaign against Portugal on November 24. However, they will be missing the defensive capabilities of their goalkeeper Jojo Wallacott who has been ruled out of the tournament with a finger injury.
Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina)
Argentina are among the favourites to lift the trophy in the tournament, and not just because of a certain Lionel Messi.
Giovani Lo Celso, a vital part of the Argentinian midfield, was ruled out after a muscle tear last month. Lo Celso is so critical to coach Lionel Scaloni that he has said there is no replacement for the 26-year-old midfielder. “Numerically there is a replacement, but football-wise there is not,” Scaloni told reporters earlier this month.
(Karim Benzema)
France’s premium striker Karim Benzema’s dream of winning the World Cup is over before he has even played a game in Qatar due to thigh injury, reports AP.
Defending champion France’s World Cup hopes took a huge blow with the news that Benzema is out of the tournament after tearing a muscle in his left thigh during training on Saturday.
“Karim Benzema is out of the World Cup,” the French soccer federation (FFF) said. "After hurting the quadriceps on his left thigh the Real Madrid striker is forced to give up on taking part in the World Cup.”
Benzema was participating in his first full training session with Les Bleus when he had to come off after feeling some pain in his left thigh, the FFF said.
“He went for an MRI scan in a hospital (clinic) in Doha, which unfortunately confirmed a tear,” the FFF said, adding that he will need three weeks to recover.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
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