A host of big names will miss the World Cup after succumbing to injury in the weeks leading up to the tournament.
Croatia’s Niko Kranjcar paid the price for his exertions in QPR’s Championship play-off final victory over Derby as he picked up a hamstring injury which will leave him on the treatment table for much of the summer.
Netherlands have been hit the hardest of all the teams in Brazil, with Rafael van der Vaart ruled out with a calf injury and joining Paris Saint-Germain right-back Gregory van der Wiel and Roma’s Kevin Strootman (both knee) on the sidelines.
Victor Valdes tore his anterior cruciate ligament in what proved to be his last game for Barcelona against Celta Vigo in March and Spain will also be without Thiago Alcantara after the Bayern Munich man underwent surgery on a knee ligament problem.
England have already been robbed of the services of Arsenal winger Theo Walcott. The fleet-footed wideman ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during an FA Cup clash with Tottenham in January, and will not be on the plane to South America.
Two other players who had high hopes of being named in Roy Hodgson’s squad, Tottenham pair Kyle Walker and Andros Townsend, will spend the summer recovering from pelvic and ankle injuries respectively.
France have been spared injuries to their main men, but back-up goalkeeper Steve Mandanda suffered a crack in his first cervical verterbra (neck) during Marseille’s clash with Guingamp, which rules him out.
Colombia superstar Radamel Falcao seems unlikely to be fit in time for the World Cup after tearing his ACL during Monaco’s Coupe de France encounter against Chasselay at the end of January.
The 28-year-old has been named in his nation’s squad regardless, but faces an uphill struggle despite being ahead of schedule in his recovery.
Germany duo Holger Badstuber and Ilkay Gundogan will play no part in this summer’s tournament. Bayern defender Badstuber has been out with a cruciate ligament injury since November 2012 and it is still not clear when he will return.
Dortmund star Gundogan has made just one Bundesliga appearance this season due to a back complaint and his comeback is also clouded by uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Portugal will have to make do without teenage starlet Bruma. The Galatasaray livewire suffered an ACL injury in January and will be out for at least six months. Benfica defender Silvio broke his leg in the Europa League clash with AZ in April and will not be on the plane to Brazil.
Japan captain Makoto Hasebe underwent a second operation on his knee in February and is yet to complete his recovery, but such is his importance to the national side, coach Alberto Zaccheroni has named him in his 23-man squad.
Elsewhere, Jurgen Klinsmann saw midfielder Stuart Holden ruled out with a fourth serious knee problem, which will keep him out of action for between six and nine months.
Source: Goal