In an unfortunate trend of events, certain key players have sustained ranging from minor to major injuries when it’s only a few weeks to the World Cup. Emotions are high in this period; some players are in a dilemma as they have already been ruled out of the tournament, while for others, it is a race against time to regain fitness before the tournament.
This World Cup is probably the last dance for a number of iconic football players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar, to mention a few, so you understand why it’s a no-miss show for a lot of players. Among the players whose participation in the World Cup is in doubt, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku are two important players whose respective countries will be gutted to play without.
About Both Players’ Injury
Paul Pogba
- Pogba’s reunion with Juventus has now gone as planned. The French Midfielder, who became a star at the Italian side, is yet to make a single competitive appearance since he joined the club in the summer.
- Pogba’s injury problem dates back to his time in Manchester. In his last season with United, he struggled to play half of premier league games as he was in and out of the hospital with a recurrent injury.
- Upon his arrival at Juventus, hoping to have a fresh start and put his dark days at Manchester behind him, Pogba suffered a setback as he sustained another injury during the preseason campaign with Juventus. After a scan, it was determined that Pogba’s preseason knee injury was a ruptured meniscus requiring surgery. He was reportedly sidelined for two months as a result of this injury.
- Once again, Paul Pogba suffered another setback on the road to recovery; he incurred a thigh injury during practice as he was recovering from meniscus surgery, which has ultimately ruled him out of the World Cup.
Romelu Lukaku
- Romelu Lukaku had a time to forget in his second stint at Chelsea FC. The Belgian failed to replicate the form that made the Blues pay a record-breaking club fee for him. It was a nightmare season for the Belgian, who failed to register double digits in goals despite playing in 26 premier league games.
- Lukaku returned to Inter Milan via a loan deal from Chelsea, and immediately, it looked like the Belgian had rediscovered his form. Unfortunately, during a training session in August, Lukaku suffered a thigh strain that potentially kept him out of Inter Milan’s Champions League group stage games and a quarter of the league games.
- Less than a week after his return to the Inter’s lineup, Lukaku sustained a strain in the hamstring of his left thigh, and this is the same muscle that sidelined him for two months. A relapse in recovery has put the future of the Belgian striker in the World Cup in doubt.
- Lukaku is in his prime, and for a player who rarely got injured to now be experiencing back-to-back injuries is a hard pill to swallow.
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How Does Pogba’s Injury Affect France?
- In the 2018 World Cup, France relied heavily on Paul Pogba to win the tournament, but Les Bleus will now have to make the long journey to the 2022 FIFA World Cup without the dynamic midfielder. His Partnership with N’golo Kante in France’s midfield was beautiful, but sadly, both players are set to miss the 2022 World Cup.
- The France midfield appears abnormally sparse without Pogba, and the defending champions must develop new strategies given potential absences, including at other positions.
- Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga of Real Madrid were always set to make the team, but they may now be in line for significant World Cup playing time. France doesn’t have a profile-for-profile replacement for Paul Pogba, but Eduardo Camavinga might be the closest thing to Pogba in the France national team.
- France can only hope to make a decent run in the World Cup with Pogba, as a successful defense of their title will be nothing short of a miracle.
How Will Lukaku’s Absence Affect Belgium?
- Lukaku is Belgium’s all-time top goalscorer, with 68 goals in 102 appearances. Beyond reasonable doubt, Lukaku is a top-ten active striker in football, and although his short second stint at Chelsea might have caused some doubts over his ability. The Belgian was on the path of silencing his doubters before he got injured.
- Lukaku is Belgium’s primary goal scorer. They don’t have another natural finisher like Lukaku. Michy Batshuayi might be a replacement, but can he bang in goals like the Inter Milan forward?
- Belgium coach Roberto Martinez emphasized the value of Lukaku to the Belgium national team and described him as irreplaceable. Romelu Lukaku’s absence from the World Cup would require Belgium to alter their style of play and likely use more attackers.
- The Belgians are more of a toothless cub without Romelu Lukaku leading the frontline. One thing is for sure; they will need him to make any significant run in the tournament.
Both Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku are very important members of their respective national teams. Pogba is completely ruled out of the World Cup, while Belgium can only hope to have Lukaku back in time. Belgium’s hopes of making a significant run in the tournament rest on the shoulders of the prolific striker.
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