Every soccer player’s lifelong ambition is to represent their country at the World Cup. For many, those dreams will come true this summer.
The United States, Canada and Mexico will stage the 2026 edition of soccer’s most loved and prestigious tournament, a festival of drama, passion and chaos certain to be defined by moments of individual inspiration.
However, a thought must be spared for those who won’t make this summer’s spectacle. Not due to underperformance or their nation’s absence, but simply because of a cruel and dream-shattering injury blow.
Here are the unfortunate stars who are set to miss the 2026 World Cup due to fitness issues.
Argentina
Argentina is without one member of its 2022 World Cup-winning squad this summer. Villarreal defender Juan Foyth has been sidelined until the beginning of next season after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Joaquín Panichelli, who made his debut for Argentina last November following an impressive term with Strasbourg, misses out on the chance to sneak into the squad after tearing his ACL for the second time.
Three-cap Argentina international Valentín Carboni is also sidelined after suffering an ACL injury while on loan at Racing Club.
| Player | Club | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Juan Foyth | Villarreal | Achilles |
| Joaquín Panichelli | Strasbourg | ACL |
| Valentín Carboni | Racing Club (on loan from Inter) | ACL |
Austria
Christoph Baumgartner was halfway through Austria’s penultimate friendly before the World Cup began when he came off with discomfort in his thigh. Subsequent tests found that RB Leipzig’s prolific forward would be unable to recover in time for the tournament in what manager Ralf Rangnick described as “very bitter news.”
| Player | Club | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Christoph Baumgartner | RB Leipzig | Thigh |
Brazil
Rodrygo was the first significant casualty for Brazil ahead of the tournament. The Real Madrid starlet and 37-cap international will be forced to watch on from the sidelines after tearing his ACL.
Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking options have also been affected by an injury to Chelsea star Estêvão, whose hamstring complaint has seen him omitted from the Italian’s final squad for the tournament.
The eternally injured Éder Militão also misses out on a reunion with his former manager at the World Cup, left behind due to his devastating hamstring injury.
Neymar was included in Brazil’s squad for what will almost certainly be his final World Cup, but the injury-prone veteran is once again suffering with fitness issues—and could miss some group stage matches.
| Player | Club | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Estêvão | Chelsea | Hamstring |
| Rodrygo | Real Madrid | ACL |
| Éder Militão | Real Madrid | Hamstring |
Canada
Canada’s entire World Cup buildup was dominated by injury talk. Yet, while Jesse Marsch decided to take his chances by including a half-fit glut of star names, Marcelo Flores was forced to pull out after tearing his ACL on the eve of the tournament.
| Player | Club | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Marcelo Flores | Tigres UANL | ACL |
England
England has a wealth of riches to select from ahead of the tournament, but one option is unavailable through injury. Jack Grealish has missed the last four months with a foot issue and won’t be in contention for Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
Ben White was not guaranteed a place at the World Cup, but his involvement was always unlikely after suffering a knee injury described as “significant” in May.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Grealish | Man City (on loan at Everton) | Foot | Out |
| Ben White | Arsenal | Knee | Out |
France
The look of Hugo Ekitiké’s face said it all. After an awkward slip during Liverpool's Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain in April, the French striker heard his Achilles before he hit the turf.
“This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the French national team,” Didier Deschamps insisted. Yet, there won’t have been many rival fans feeling too bad for Les Bleus, who can replace the Liverpool striker with any of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Marcus Thuram, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, et. al.
Midfield depth is not so abundant for France and Boubacar Kamara is a bigger miss than many may even realize. The influential defensive midfielder had been enjoying an excellent season with Aston Villa, but missed out on Deschamps’s squad through injury.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hugo Ekitiké | Liverpool | Achilles | Out |
| Boubacar Kamara | Aston Villa | ACL | Out |
Germany
Injury problems continue to derail the career of Marc-André ter Stegen, who suffered a devastating hamstring injury on his debut with loan club Girona. The Barcelona stopper hasn’t played for Germany since June due to injuries and his absence this summer has even prompted a recall for 40-year-old Manuel Neuer, the veteran stepping out of international retirement.
Another blow Die Mannschaft is the absence of Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry, who misses the tournament through a thigh injury. The 30-year-old had produced 23 goal involvements this season prior to his ailment.
Lennart Karl would also join the injury casualties after pulling up with a torn thigh muscle just nine days before the tournament’s start.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marc-André ter Stegen | Barcelona (on loan at Girona) | Hamstring | Out |
| Serge Gnabry | Bayern Munich | Thigh | Out |
Ghana
Ghana’s pre-tournament chaos has been exacerbated by the absence of Mohammed Kudus from their final roster. The Tottenham Hotspur star suffered a setback during recovery from a nasty quad injury and will be absent in North America.
Namesake Mohammed Salisu of Monaco is also unavailable for Ghana through an ACL tear.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Kudus | Tottenham | Quad | Out |
| Mohammed Salisu | Monaco | ACL | Out |
Japan
Ex-Liverpool star Takumi Minamino will sit the tournament out after tearing his ACL, while Brighton & Hove Albion gem Kaoru Mitoma was forced to miss out on the final roster with a hamstring injury suffered just a little too late in the season.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takumi Minamino | Monaco | ACL | Out |
| Kaoru Mitoma | Brighton | Hamstring | Out |
Mexico
Toluca’s Marcel Ruiz and Club América goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón will miss out with serious knee injuries, while Bournemouth’s Julián Araujo is also set to be omitted due to a hamstring injury which has sidelined him since March.
Copenhagen defender Rodrigo Huescas sits out due to an ACL injury.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcel Ruiz | Toulca | ACL | Out |
| Luis Ángel Malagón | Club América | ACL | Out |
| Rodrigo Huescas | Copenhagen | ACL | Out |
| Julián Araujo | Bournemouth | Hamstring | Out |
Netherlands
Matthijs de Ligt has been missing since the end of November with an awkward back injury which seemingly refuses to heal. It was confirmed in May that the defender would lose his race against time to be fit before the end of the season.
Another player won’t make it to North America this summer is Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Xavi Simons, who took to social media to reveal he was “heartbroken” to learn a knee injury has ended his hopes of appearing at the tournament.
17-cap enforcer Jerdy Schouten is also absent with an ACL injury sustained for PSV Eindhoven in early April.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xavi Simons | Tottenham | Knee | Out |
| Matthijs de Ligt | Man Utd | Back | Out |
| Jerdy Schouten | PSV | ACL | Out |
Scotland
After damaging his knee in Scotland’s warm-up friendly, Napoli’s Billy Gilmour couldn’t even get swept away by devastation. He hadn’t processed it yet.
“Being so close to a childhood dream of mine, to play in a World Cup and now it has been taken away from me with an injury,” he wrote. “It’s been a tough one to get my head around.”
| Player | Club | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Billy Gilmour | Napoli | Knee |
Spain
The mightily impressive form of Fermín López was set to be rewarded with a maiden World Cup voyage, but the Barcelona star has been forced to undergo surgery on a foot injury and will now have to wait until 2030 for his first taste of the competition.
Up-and-comer Samu Aghehowa, who has made four senior Spain appearances, is out of contention through an ACL injury.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fermín López | Barcelona | Foot | Out |
| Samu Aghehowa | Porto | ACL | Out |
United States
The USMNT is without Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer as the defender continues his recovery from an Achilles tear.
Derby County striker Patrick Agyemang also isn’t be involved, the 25-year-old ruled out with a serious Achilles injury. Atlético Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso will sit out the tournament, too, after sustaining a high-grade ankle injury.
| Player | Club | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Agyemang | Derby County | Achilles | Out |
| Johnny Cardoso | Atlético Madrid | Ankle | Out |
| Cameron Carter-Vickers | Celtic | Achilles | Out |
| Jonathan Klinsmann | Cesena | Neck | Out |
