2026 World Cup injuries: Rodrygo, Xavi Simons headline list of major absentees

World Cup injury concerns grow as key players face race against time for 2026

With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, the excitement is building in all the usual ways squads taking shape, debates heating up, and fans starting to picture how it might all unfold across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

But alongside that anticipation, there’s a quieter, more uneasy feeling running through it all.

Injuries.

At this stage of the season, even the slightest knock can turn into a major headline. And over the past few weeks, a number of big names have suffered exactly the kind of setbacks that make national team coaches wince and supporters hold their breath.

Some won’t make it at all. Others are in a race against time. Either way, the tournament is already beginning to take shape, just not always in the way players would have hoped.

Rodrygo (Brazil, 25)

There’s never a shortage of attacking talent in Brazil squads, but losing someone like Rodrygo still stings.

The forward had been building momentum again after working his way back from a previous injury, only for things to unravel in the worst possible way. A torn ACL, suffered during a league game for Real Madrid, has ruled him out completely.

It’s the kind of setback that doesn’t just end a season, it halts a story mid-sentence.

For Rodrygo, that’s particularly cruel given the lingering memory of the last World Cup, where his missed penalty against Croatia played a part in Brazil’s exit. This summer was supposed to offer a chance to put that right.

Instead, he’ll be watching from a distance.

Brazil’s injury worries don’t end there either. Éder Militão is also struggling with fitness after yet another spell on the treatment table, while teenage prospect Estevão Willian is battling to prove he’ll be ready in time.

For Carlo Ancelotti, it’s hardly ideal preparation.

Xavi Simons (Netherlands, 22)

There was a growing sense that this could be a big tournament for the Netherlands. After their run to the latter stages of Euro 2024, belief has been quietly building again.

Which makes this one feel particularly unfortunate.

Simons picked up an ACL injury while playing for Tottenham Hotspur, cutting short what had been an up-and-down first season in England. He hasn’t always been consistent, but for the national side, he’s become something far more important.

A spark. A player capable of turning moments into something meaningful.

For Ronald Koeman, that’s not easy to replace. The Netherlands still have structure, still have quality—but players who can produce something out of nothing are rare.

Simons is one of them.

Serge Gnabry (Germany, 30)

Germany’s preparations come with their own set of questions, particularly in attack.

There’s been a search for fluency, for rhythm, for someone to consistently deliver in front of goal. Gnabry looked like he might be part of that answer again after a strong campaign with Bayern Munich.

Operating in a more central role at times, linking play behind the forward line, he’d found form at the right moment.

And then another setback.

A torn adductor picked up in training has ended his hopes of featuring this summer. It’s not the first time a major tournament has passed him by either, which only adds to the frustration.

For Julian Nagelsmann, it removes one of the few players in his squad who had recently shown consistent end product.

Patrick Agyemang (United States, 24)

There’s something especially harsh about missing a World Cup on home soil.

For Patrick Agyemang, that’s now the reality.

The striker, who had been pushing to secure his place in the United States men’s national soccer team squad, suffered a serious Achilles injury while playing for Derby County.

He wasn’t guaranteed to start, but he was firmly in the conversation. A handful of goals at international level, a solid first season in the Championship—it all pointed towards a role, even if it was from the bench.

Now, that opportunity is gone.

For Mauricio Pochettino, it’s another option removed at a time when squad depth matters more than ever.

Hugo Ekitike (France, 23)

France are rarely short on attacking options, and that depth may just soften the blow here but Hugo Ekitike’s absence still feels significant.

The striker had quietly played his way into contention over the past year. A strong debut season with Liverpool, 17 goals, and a growing understanding of the role asked of him, it all pointed towards a player ready for the next step.

Then came the injury.

A ruptured Achilles in April, the kind that ends any debate immediately. No comeback, no late push for selection. Just recovery.

It’s a tough one for Didier Deschamps, particularly with this expected to be his final tournament in charge. Ekitike had given him something slightly different in attack—a presence that complemented the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.

Now, those plans will need adjusting.

Luis Ángel Malagón (Mexico, 28)

Mexico’s situation offers a slightly different twist.

Malagón, expected to be their first-choice goalkeeper, has been ruled out after rupturing his Achilles during club duty with Club América. It’s a significant blow, particularly given his form over the past year.

But where one door closes, another opens.

His absence could pave the way for Guillermo Ochoa to feature at yet another World Cup. If selected, it would be his sixth—a remarkable feat, especially considering he’s approaching his 41st birthday.

Not a bad fallback option, all things considered.

Where it leaves things now

Injuries are part of football, everyone accepts that. But when they arrive this close to a World Cup, they hit differently.

For some players, it’s a missed opportunity. For others, it’s a chance that suddenly appears out of nowhere.

Squads will shift, plans will change, and by the time the tournament kicks off, it will already look slightly different from the one we imagined a few months ago.

That’s the unpredictable nature of it all.

Which absence do you think will have the biggest impact at the 2026 World Cup?