England boss Gareth Southgate has been dealt yet another injury blow after Ben Chilwell was ruled out of the World Cup.
Chilwell pulled up with a hamstring problem during injury time as Chelsea defeated Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League. And the Blues have now confirmed that the Englishman has suffered a significant injury that means he will not be able to feature in Qatar.
The left-back has endured dreadful luck with injuries over recent seasons, having ruptured his ACL last term. He will have to sit out this winter's tournament after a scan confirmed the full extent of the injury he suffered.
"Following the injury sustained in our recent game against Dinamo Zagreb, Ben has undergone a scan on his hamstring," Chelsea said in a statement released on Saturday.
"Results show that Ben has suffered a significant injury and the defender is unfortunately expected to miss the World Cup. Ben will now begin a rehabilitation programme with the club’s medical department."
Chilwell released his own statement after the news broke, lamenting the fact he would not be able to fulfil his dream of playing at a World Cup. He insisted he will try to return to fitness as soon as possible, though it is likely he will not play until the new year.
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"Following my ACL injury I worked so hard to make sure I was ready for the World Cup. It has always been a dream of mine. Unfortunately, this won’t be possible following my scan results," he wrote in a post on social media.
"It’s very difficult to take at the moment but I believe everything happens for a reason. I will do all I can to get back playing for Chelsea as soon as possible. Thank you for the messages of support."
The news that Chilwell has been ruled out of playing in Qatar is the latest blow for Southgate. The England boss is dealing with an injury crisis, but will have to name his final 26-man squad on Thursday.
Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips are all also doubts for this winter's tournament. Despite those problems, Southgate has insisted that the Three Lions' aim is to reach at least the semi-finals.
"England historically don't respond well to pressure and expectation. But now with the team we know, they know they're capable. They've been to a semifinal, they've been to a final. So, for the team, they'll be disappointed with less," he told La Repubblica.
"We think we can have a really exciting tournament and take the fans on another journey. But we also know that there are a lot of 50-50 matches. That's the challenge for us to be the better team in those big games."
England's World Cup campaign will begin on 21 November with a clash against Iran at Khalifa International Stadium. They will then take on the United States and Wales.
