With just over a month to go before the World Cup kicks off, some of football's biggest stars are in serious danger of missing the tournament due to serious injuries.
The list of absences is topped by Real Madrid's Brazilian, Rodrygo, who suffered a ligament tear in early March and is not expected to return to the field before October, ruling him out of the World Cup.
His Real Madrid teammate Éder Militão will also be absent for Brazil after undergoing muscle surgery, with his return also expected in the autumn.
A serious blow has also come for the Netherlands, as midfielder Xavi Simons suffered a torn ligament in the match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Wolves, ending not only this season, but also most of next season.
France will also be without Hugo Ekitike, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury in April. The striker, who is enjoying a brilliant season with Liverpool FC, scoring 17 goals, will not return until the end of the year.
Germany also has serious problems in the attacking department. Serge Gnabry, who was expected to be one of coach Julian Nagelsmann's main weapons, suffered a muscle tear during training in April. Despite a strong season with FC Bayern Munich, he will not be ready for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, the presence of Spanish talent Lamine Yamal also remains in doubt. The young FC Barcelona star was injured in the final week of La Liga and early predictions indicate that he could miss at least the first two games of the group stage.
