With every day passing, the 2022 World Cup is getting closer. However, that would surely not be a pleasing sight for those wishing for a speedy recovery from their respective injuries ahead of the extravaganza set to be hosted in Qatar later in November and December.
There are a few Serie A stars who might not and will not be part of the upcoming World Cup. As reported earlier, the recent injury to Paul Pogba, who has not completed even a single appearance for Juventus since leaving Manchester United in the summer of 2022, has only made the particular list longer.
France have been unlucky so far with injuries. They had already been missing N’Golo Kanté through an injury. But now, with Pogba being also ruled out, France will be without the midfield pairing that led them to the World Cup title in Russia in 2018.
When it comes to France’s misery, Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan remains a doubt ahead of the World Cup. Didier Deschamps will announce his squad on November 9. He might not risk including France’s second-choice custodian, who has been nursing his calf injury with an aim to make recovery before the World Cup.
The next on the list is Alexis Saelemaekers, who could be not picked for the Belgian World Cup squad due to a ruptured intraarticular ligament in the knee. The 23-year-old has earned nine caps for his country thus far and was a candidate to board the plane to Qatar with Roberto Martínez’s team. But that now appears to be a distant dream for Saelemaekers.
On loan from Chelsea, Inter and Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku could also miss the trip to the Middle East as the marksman has understandably picked up a new muscle injury in his left thigh.
Roma attacker Paulo Dybala remains a doubt ahead of Argentina’s World Cup campaign, while Georginio Wijnaldum is hoping for a miracle as it is expected that he would not return to action before 2023. It would certainly be a massive loss for Louis van Gaal’s Dutch team.
GIFN | Jyotirmoy Halder
