Top players likely to miss FIFA World Cup 2026
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just a month away, many players are falling like nine pins due to injuries. The World Cup is the biggest stage for players to showcase their skills to the world and bring glory to their nation with incredible match-winning performances. Therefore, it’s heartbreaking for players when they miss out on football’s biggest spectacle due to an injury, especially when they are assured of a spot in the World Cup squad for their national team.
Due to the extremely hectic and gruelling football schedule for players, which involves the domestic league, domestic cup competitions, and continental tournaments at club level, along with international duty, long-term injuries like anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, hamstring strains, and Achilles tendon injuries are becoming more common and recurrent.
The absence of top players from football’s biggest spectacle will not only impact the tournament’s viewership, but also diminish the overall quality of play and reduce the likelihood of witnessing memorable competitive matches.
Here, we take a look at ten big-name players who, at the time of writing, are likely to miss out on participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Éder Militão | Brazil
Real Madrid and Brazil’s starting centre-back Éder Militão will not partake in this year’s World Cup after sustaining an injury to the biceps femoris muscle in his left leg.
The 28-year-old is to undergo surgery and will possibly be sidelined for the next five months.
This is a huge blow to Brazil’s World Cup hopes, as they have a couple of other key injuries as well, and missing one of their best defenders is definitely going to negatively impact their chances. Militão’s injuries have also affected Real Madrid, with Los Blancos having been unable to play a settled back four throughout this season. As a result, they may end the season without silverware.
Lamine Yamal | Spain
Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has been ruled out for the rest of the ongoing season due to a left-leg hamstring injury sustained in his side’s recent league win over Celta Vigo.
Yamal was helped off the field by the Barça medical staff, who after a check-up confirmed that the teenager would miss the rest of the campaign, though there’s an outside chance he recovers just in time to make Spain’s World Cup squad. For now, Yamal is following a conservative treatment plan.
Hamstring strains are tricky injuries, and if the recovery plan goes awry even a bit, Yamal could potentially miss the World Cup.
Yamal is undoubtedly one of the most exciting young players in the world right now and has the ability to attract a huge amount of people. Missing out on him at the World Cup would be a real shame for spectators, as well as a huge problem for Spain, who have been hoping their young dynamic forward leads the charge and helps them recreate the heroics of 2010.
Hugo Ekitike | France
Liverpool and France striker Hugo Ekitike suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury in the Reds’ Champions League quarter-final second leg against PSG. Ekitike has undergone surgery recently, and the rehabilitation for this could potentially keep him out for nine months.
It’s a really unfortunate situation for the 23-year-old, who has taken to life at Merseyside quite well after joining ahead of the 2025/26 season. Based on his performances in the Premier League, he also received a national team call-up from France coach Didier Deschamps for the World Cup qualifiers, performing well whenever given the chance.
Ekitike could prove to be a huge miss for France, as he is a versatile forward who can play as a left-winger as well as a centre-forward. Also, he is a very exciting player to watch, and it’s a shame he will miss the World Cup. The long lay-off will also impact Liverpool, as he is likely to remain unavailable for the first few months of the new season.
Xavi Simons | Netherlands
Tottenham Hotspur and Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons sustained an ACL injury in Spurs’ league game against Wolves last weekend. As per the announcement from Spurs, Simons will undergo surgery in the coming weeks and then begin his rehabilitation.
This is another heartbreaking situation for a young player who could have been vital for his national team’s attack. Having endured a horrendous season with Spurs, who are still in a relegation scrap, Simons will now have to watch the World Cup from home.
The situation could get even worse for the Dutch forward, as he could potentially see himself playing in the Championship next season and may struggle to leave north London.
Rodrygo | Brazil
Here’s another player who plays for Real Madrid and Brazil and is set to miss the World Cup. Rodrygo injured himself in a LaLiga game against Getafe, sustaining a torn ACL and lateral meniscus in his right knee. He could be out until early 2027.
Rodrygo is a key player for both his club and country, and his absence is a big loss for the Seleção heading into the World Cup. It has also created a conundrum for Real Madrid, as there had been rumours before the 2025/26 season hinting that Rodrygo could be moved on.
With him being injured for a long period now, even if Real Madrid want to sell him, they’ll have to wait until at least next year.
Mohammed Kudus | Ghana
Spurs forward Kudus suffered a hamstring injury in January when he limped off against Sunderland in a Premier League game. After a three-month lay-off, Kudus returned to training in late April, only to suffer another setback.
Spurs’s medical team suggested a surgical intervention, but Kudus has preferred to follow a conservative rehabilitation routine to avoid missing the World Cup. However, if he isn’t fit in time and surgery becomes necessary, it is likely he could be sidelined through the World Cup.
Kudus is undoubtedly one of the most important players for Ghana, and his absence will undoubtedly impact their chances of going deep into the tournament. As for his club, Spurs have definitely missed his attacking flair and are in serious danger of relegation with four games to go.
Luka Modric | Croatia
Croatian captain and AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric suffered a double fracture in his cheekbone in a recent Serie A game against Juventus. He has already been ruled out for the remainder of the Serie A campaign, and is currently looking doubtful for the World Cup as well.
As the captain and one of the most experienced players in that Croatian setup, there is no doubt that Modric would be a huge miss for his country if he misses out. At club level too, he has left Milan in a precarious predicament, as he would have offered a lot of experience and quality to their midfield in their bid to secure Champions League football.
As of now, there is no clarity on whether Modric will undergo surgery or opt for conservative treatment. Whatever option he takes will decide the timeline of his return.
It would be a travesty if Modric misses the World Cup, as at 40 it would surely have been his last appearance on the biggest stage of football.
Cristian Romero | Argentina
Argentina and Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero suffered a high-grade partial tear of his medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee during a Premier League game against Sunderland in April 2026.
Spurs’ unfortunate issues with injuries haven’t ceased or improved. Their captain is ruled out for the rest of the season and could potentially miss selection for Argentina’s World Cup squad. As per reports, he is set to be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks.
With the World Cup around the corner and Spurs battling relegation, both his country and club will miss a towering and experienced presence in defence as well as in the opposition box.
Estêvão Willian | Brazil
Brazil’s teenage sensation Estêvão Willian is another big name set to miss out on the World Cup this year. Playing for Chelsea in the Premier League, the 19-year-old suffered a grade-four hamstring tear, which ruled him out for the rest of the season and, almost certainly, the World Cup.
Estêvão’s injury puts Brazil’s World Cup hopes in jeopardy as well, with Rodrygo and Éder Militão also on the sidelines. Like Lamine Yamal, Estêvão is another young talent that has shown his quality and skill in the Premier League and would have attracted a lot of crowds to the arenas at the World Cup.
With Chelsea already struggling to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, and Brazil already in the soup with a selection headache six weeks away from the World Cup, no doubt Estêvão would have been a great watch at the World Cup with his pace, dribbling, and finishing skill and would have boosted Brazil’s chances of winning the coveted tournament.
As per the latest updates, Estêvão is still hopeful that he can recover in time for the World Cup, as the injury isn’t as complicated as it appeared earlier, but only time will tell, and the chances remain slim.
Wataru Endo | Japan
Japan captain Wataru Endo suffered a ankle ligament rupture while playing for his club, Liverpool, in February, which ruled him out for the rest of the Premier League season and, potentially, the World Cup.
As per reports, the 33-year-old went for an artificial ligament reconstruction over a metal plate for a faster recovery. He is currently focusing on being fit for the World Cup, but it remains doubtful.
From the Japan national team’s point of view, Endo doesn’t just offer leadership but also experience and quality in the middle of the park, rallying both defenders and forwards to perform better. As for Liverpool, they have missed his experience, but given they are now almost certain of Champions League qualification, his injury hasn’t hurt them as badly as it does the Samurai Blues.
