This year’s FIFA World Cup is unusual for many reasons, but none more so than the fact it’s taking place in the middle of the European domestic season.
But an unfortunate by-product of that is several of the game’s best are set to miss football’s showpiece event through injury.
With players dropping like flies ahead of November 20, here is a comprehensive list of every nation’s absentees and players at risk of missing the tournament.
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GROUP A
Qatar: Abdullah Al-Ahrak (out, knee)
Ecuador: Joao Rojas (out, knee)
Senegal: Bouna Sarr (out, leg)
Netherlands: Georginio Wijnaldum (out, leg), Memphis Depay (at risk, thigh)
GROUP B
England: Ben Chilwell (at risk, hamstring), Reece James (at risk, knee), Kyle Walker (at risk, groin), Kalvin Phillips (at risk, shoulder)
Iran:
USA: Miles Robinson (out, Achilles)
Wales:
GROUP C
Argentina: Paulo Dybala (at risk, quad), Angel Di Maria (at risk, hamstring)
Saudi Arabia:
Mexico: Jesus Corona (out, leg), Raul Jimenez (at risk, hip)
Poland: Jakub Moder (out, knee)
GROUP D
France: N’Golo Kante (out, hamstring), Paul Pogba (out, knee), Boubacar Kamara (at risk, knee), Raphael Varane (at risk, thigh), Jules Kounde (at risk, thigh), Wesley Fofana (at risk, knee), Lucas Hernandez (at risk, adductor), Mike Maignan (at risk, calf)
Australia:
Denmark: Andreas Christensen (at risk, ankle), Simon Kjaer (at risk, hamstring)
Tunisia:
GROUP E
Spain:
Costa Rica:
Germany: Timo Werner (out, ankle), Armel Bella Kotchap (at risk, shoulder),
Japan: Yuta Nakayama (out, Achilles)
GROUP F
Belgium: Romelu Lukaku (at risk, hamstring), Alexis Saelemaekers (out, knee)
Canada: Scott Kennedy (out, shoulder)
Morocco:
Croatia:
GROUP G
Brazil: Arthur Melo (out, thigh)
Serbia:
Switzerland:
Cameroon:
GROUP H
Portugal: Diogo Jota (out, hamstring), Pedro Neto (out, ankle), Pepe (at risk, knee), Nuno Mendes (at risk, Achilles)
Ghana:
Uruguay: Ronald Araujo (at risk, thigh)
South Korea: Heung-Min Son (at risk, eye fracture)
