Martin Boyle looks set to live his World Cup dream with the Socceroos after reports in Scotland that, following injury fears, he has been given the green light over his fitness for Qatar.
The 29-year-old Hibernian winger has had an anxious time since the weekend when he picked up a painful knee injury in an accidental collision with his teammate Nohan Kenneh during the win over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.
But with Australia’s first game against holders France just three weeks away, the 29-year-old has been reported by Scotland’s Daily Record and The Scotsman newspapers to have received good news after travelling to Manchester for a meeting with a specialist over his badly bruised knee.
After scans had been examined, it was deemed the injury wasn’t as bad as first feared and that it shouldn’t prevent him taking his place in Graham Arnold’s squad as one of the coach’s most valuable Socceroos.
The news will come as a huge relief to the Scottish-born Boyle, who has been capped 19 times for Australia and, if fit, seems sure to start in the opener against France on November 22 (November 23 AEDT) before the Socceroos also play Tunisia and Denmark in group D.
The Scotsman report also said that while Boyle had been warned playing with his injury wouldn’t cause permanent damage, it would require careful management from the medical team during the tournament.
Martin Boyle would be a walk-up start for the Socceroos in their World Cup opener against defending champions France.Credit:AP
Plenty of superstars, however, haven’t been so lucky.
Here is the list as it stands of players who have been ruled out or are doubtful for the Qatar tournament.
Paul Pogba (France)
Pogba injured his knee in pre-season and went under the knife in September to repair a damaged meniscus. The 29-year-old resumed training but his agent said last week the midfielder would not return to action for Juventus nor the world champions before the World Cup.
Once the world’s most expensive footballer, Paul Pogba will be absent from France’s title defence.Credit:AP
N’golo Kante (France)
The Chelsea midfielder suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury that has restricted him to two appearances this season. He will be sidelined for four months after undergoing surgery.
Boubacar Kamara (France)
The Aston Villa midfielder suffered a knee ligament injury in September that will keep him out until after the World Cup.
Always thereabouts at the World Cup, four-time winners Germany will look to make it five without Timo Werner.Credit:Getty
Timo Werner (Germany)
The RB Leipzig forward, 26, sustained an ankle injury during their 4-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk this week and will be sidelined for the rest of 2022.
Reece James (England)
The 22-year-old right-back injured his knee in Chelsea’s Champions League clash against AC Milan in October and looks certain to miss the tournament in Qatar after being ruled out for eight weeks.
Liverpool’s Diogo Jota has avoided surgery but will still miss the Qatar tournament.Credit:Getty Images
Diogo Jota (Portugal)
The Liverpool forward will miss the tournament due to a calf injury sustained in their win over Manchester City but the Premier League club’s manager Juergen Klopp said that he would not require surgery.
Pedro Neto (Portugal)
The 22-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers winger will undergo surgery on an ankle injury sustained against West Ham United in October.
Jesus ‘Tecatito’ Corona (Mexico)
The Sevilla winger suffered a fracture on his left ankle while he was training with the La Liga club in August and underwent surgery.
The 29-year-old was named in Mexico coach Gerardo Martino’s preliminary 31-man squad but Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli said he could return to training only by December.
Arthur Melo (Brazil)
Liverpool’s on-loan midfielder picked up a muscle injury in the build-up to a Champions League clash with Rangers in October.
Arthur Melo will play no part as Brazil chase a record-extending sixth World Cup.Credit:Getty
Scott Kennedy (Canada)
The 25-year-old defender sustained a freak shoulder injury at the end of October while playing for SSV Jahn Regensburg in the German second division.
Yuta Nakayama (Japan)
Nakayama, who has been capped 17 times, was named in Hajime Moriyasu’s 26-man squad on Tuesday. Huddersfield said Nakayama would require surgery after damaging his Achilles tendon in Wednesday’s 2-0 home defeat by Sunderland in England’s second-tier Championship.
Race against time:
The following players are injured but fighting to get fit and be considered for selection.
Ben Chilwell (England)
The Chelsea left-back pulled up with a hamstring injury during added time in the Blues’ Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb.
“It doesn’t look positive, but it’s a hamstring. We’ll have to scan it and see what it is,” said Blues manager Graham Potter.
Kalvin Phillips (England)
The Manchester City midfielder has been sidelined due to a shoulder problem but could return before the World Cup.
Manchester City star Kyle Walker.Credit:AP
Kyle Walker (England)
The Manchester City defender had successful groin surgery in early October but the 32-year-old said he was confident he will fully recover in time to make the trip to Qatar.
Son Heung-min (South Korea)
The Tottenham forward suffered a facial fracture following an aerial clash with Chancel Mbemba during a Champions League game at Marseille. Spurs said he will have surgery to stabilise the fracture.
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
The Inter Milan striker has injured his hamstring again after making a comeback from two months on the sidelines.
Paulo Dybala (Argentina)
AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho said the Argentina forward had suffered a “very bad” injury when he tweaked a thigh muscle while converting a penalty against Lecce.
Angel Di Maria (Argentina)
The Juventus winger is out until early November due to a hamstring injury which the club said would need around three weeks to heal.
Ronald Araujo (Uruguay)
The Barcelona centre back opted for thigh surgery in late September, saying he made the call to return to 100 per cent “as soon as possible”.
