From Chilwell to Pogba – a brutal week for World Cup injuries

Cameron Smith

4 Nov 2022 09:47 GMT
3 min read

This week, Ben Chilwell and Paul Pogba have joined a long list of players confirmed to be missing the 2022 Qatar World Cup due to injury following their setbacks this week.

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Chilwell, 25, suffered a hamstring injury in the latter stages of Chelsea's 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, while it was confirmed that Pogba, 29, will also miss the tournament.

The Frenchman's return to Juventus has not been a happy one, with knee problems ensuring he is yet to feature this season. And it was confirmed this week that he won't be fit for the World Cup.

A Juventus spokesman told The Associated Press: "We won’t see him until 2023, and his entourage have confirmed that also he will be out of the World Cup," while his agent revealed in a statement: "After medical exams yesterday and today, it is extremely painful to announce that Paul Pogba needs more rehabilitation after his operation."

READ: Timo Werner OUT: The players missing the World Cup due to injury

The timing of the 2022 World Cup has been criticised heavily by many, including former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, and with the injury list growing week-by-week, the tournament is at risk of losing its best players before it's even begun.

Due to the climate in Qatar, the tournament was moved to the winter and therefore falls bang in the middle of the European football calendar, rather than at the end of the season as usual. This added strain has meant the number of injured stars missing the tournament is expected to be high.

This week has been a prime example of this. Chilwell and Pogba are just two examples of stars who have been ruled out this week alone.

Along with that duo, Timo Werner will miss the World Cup after suffering an ankle injury while playing in the Champions League for RB Leipzig in midweek.

Furthermore, Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu faces a nervous wait after he limped off during the Gunners' Europa League clash with FC Zurich on Thursday night, while Spain and Paris Saint-Germain's Fabian Ruiz went off against Juventus.