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Whether you’re the star man of your country or an important piece of the puzzle, your nation will want you fit and available before any international tournament.

Even when your fitness is in doubt, you may still get called up in case you manage to get fit during the tournament, or you might be sidelined for the entirety of the competition. Today, we list down the top 11 players who might miss playing in the world cup due to their injury scare:

Sardar Azmoun – Iran

The Iranian might not be as big of a name as the other 10 on this list but Leverkusen fans and Iranians know how good of a player he is. Dubbed “The Iranian Messi”, he is seen as an important player for the middle eastern side as their go-to striker.

The Leverkusen forward suffered a groin injury back in early October and was expected to be out for a minimum of 8 weeks. However, coach Queiroz named him in the Iran squad for the World Cup, and the forward will be expected to recover in time for the group games.

Raúl Jiménez – Mexico

It’s been a tough few years for Wolves forward Raúl Jiménez, as the Mexican proceeds to fully recover from the horrific head injury he suffered in 2020. Add a groin and knee injury to the list and it really turns into a surprise as to why he is still selected for the Mexico Squad for Qatar World Cup 2022.

The Mexican has only made four appearances this season as a result of those injuries, and he is set to miss the warm-up game against Sweden before the World Cup. He might miss more than that, as it is still unclear whether he will recover in time for the group-stage matches.

Aleksandar Mitrović – Serbia

Fulham’s main man Mitrović had enjoyed a fine start to the PL season this year until a foot injury put a halt to his momentum. This put a big question mark on whether he could stay fit for the upcoming World Cup, but the Serbian came up with an answer himself.

And indeed, national team coach Dragan Stojković claimed that the 28-year-old “was willing to play even without a leg.” Whether his body will match his enthusiasm is yet to see, but it’s fair to say that he is well and truly motivated for the competition.

Son Heung-Min – South Korea

The Korean lit up his nation’s last World Cup match by sealing a 2-0 win against four-time world champions Germany, and the Asian nation has always relied on the Spurs star to produce such moments of magic. Despite his recent eye injury, the Koreans are hopeful that he recovers in time for the World Cup.

Despite being named in the 26 men’s squad, coach Bento believes that they will have to be “very careful” regarding his injury, and he might need to wear a protective mask for the tournament. Regardless, having him fit for selection alone could prove to be game-changing for the Asian giants.

Kalvin Phillips – England

It would be an understatement to say that taking someone who has only played a total of 11 minutes this season to the World Cups is a “gamble”, and in the case of Man City’s Kalvin Phillips, that gamble divides a lot of opinions.

Given that he’s a player who was a crucial part of England’s run to the UEFA Euro 2020 final, selecting him for this tournament made sense, but do you really trust a player who has been plagued by injuries this season and the fitness is still very much in doubt? Southgate must have an answer to the question or else, his own future in England might be in doubt.

Kyle Walker – England

Another English player whose World Cup minutes are still very much in doubt once again comes from Man City, as Kyle Walker continues recovering from a groin injury that he endured in the Manchester Derby in October.

However, in this case, England fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as England have a bunch of right-backs to pick from, with Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and even Ben White all more than capable of playing the role.

Alphonso Davies – Canada

Canada may have the required firepower with Jonathan David up top, but without the pace, explosiveness, dribbling, and creativity of Alphonso Davies, they are always a man short. The Bayern Munich star suffered a torn right hamstring injury a fortnight ago, and the Canadian faithful are still sweating over his recovery.

The 22-year-old is one of many Canadian players to have been facing injury concerns before the break, however, he is the only one to be selected among them. It’s still unclear if he will make it in time before the match against Belgium 8 days later, but the signs are positive and the North American nation will hope his minutes aren’t limited.

Ronald Araujo – Uruguay

Uruguay’s dynamic duo of Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani may be aging, but overall, they have a very young squad and defender Ronald Araújo is one of the standouts. The 23-year-old has been named in the squad for the two-time world champions, but his availability is still in doubt.

The Barcelona starlet underwent successful surgery for his right thigh two months ago and has been working hard to be fit for the World Cup. His presence in the defense is vital for the Uruguayans and they will hope to have him back soon.

Rafael Varane – France

A crucial piece of France’s recent World Cup triumph, Man United’s Rafael Varane is a player whom the reigning champions cannot afford to cut corners with. They will be joyful to have him back fit.

Since a hamstring injury caused him to leave the pitch tearfully during United’s draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge back in October, Varane has continued making progress, but he still remains a major doubt. A leader from the back, Didier Deschamps will be hopeful that the 29-year-old returns fit, and doesn’t pick up any injuries throughout the tournament.

Paulo Dybala

Argentina’s Paulo Dybala is very likely to miss out on the opening set of games, as the Roma forward continues to be assessed after a hamstring injury. The 29-year-old has only played 20 minutes since getting injured in late October.

His club manager José Mourinho, who described his injury as ‘a freak’, commented that his World Cup participation is still very much in doubt. Lionel Scaloni on the other hand is hoping that he can recover well and spur the Argentina attack alongside Lionel Messi.

Sadio Mané

Sadio Mané is all but set to miss out on Senegal’s opening match against the Netherlands on Monday. And the bad news doesn’t end there, because as of today, he hasn’t traveled with his national teammates to Qatar. The Bayern Munich forward is still undergoing tests in Germany after suffering a Fibula injury just a week ago.

The extent of the injury is still unknown, and the Lions of Teranga might be without their star man for who knows how long. The Senegalese took the decisive penalty against Egypt to send his country to the World Cup, and without his presence up front, the West African side might struggle to even make it out of their group.