The 2026 World Cup is fast approaching, and as expected, it will host the biggest stars in football.
Every football fan and player looks forward to the World Cup because it is the biggest international stage in football to show their talent. Most players have it as their childhood dream to represent their country at the World Cup.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, there seems to be an injury epidemic, and some players have been caught in it. There has been recurring news of players getting injured as the season enters its final stages and in this list, we’ll look at five of the biggest stars who will miss out on the 2026 World Cup.
Rodrygo
First on the list is Brazilian winger Rodrygo Goes. The Real Madrid starlet and 37-cap international will be forced to watch on from the sidelines after tearing his ACL.
Rodrygo has missed most of the season due to the ACL injury, and he could well be joined by club teammate Eder Militao, who is currently undergoing treatment at Real Madrid and could be ruled out of the World Cup if he suffers any setback.
Hugo Ekitike
After just returning to action after a spell on the sidelines, Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
He is expected to take a long time to recover, with experts saying he can spend anywhere between six and nine months, which already rules him out of the World Cup. The focus is now on him recovering and remaining the same player he was before the injury.
Xavi Simons
Xavier Simons, who is a key player for the Netherlands, will not be at the World Cup as he suffered a torn ACL in Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Wolves in the relegation scrap.
We can confirm that Xavi Simons has ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee.
The 23-year-old suffered the injury during the second half of our Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Xavi will undergo surgery in the coming weeks… pic.twitter.com/FUEf5VrZnx
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 27, 2026
Simons was expected to play a crucial part in Koeman’s plans for the Netherlands at the World Cup in the summer, but following his injury and tests from the Tottenham staff, the midfielder has been ruled out of the rest of the season and the World Cup.
Estevao
Brazilian and Chelsea youngster Estevao is a doubt for the 2026 World Cup.
After moving to Chelsea in the summer, he has been one of Brazil’s most dangerous attackers. However, he may not feature at the World Cup after suffering a grade 4 hamstring injury in Chelsea’s loss to Manchester United.
The winger is said to be prioritizing a conservative approach to treating the injury with hopes that he can make it to the World Cup even if it’s at the latter stages but Chelsea have said they won’t want him to feature at the World Cup and instead focus on treating the injury.
🚨GLOBO:
Estevão has almost a fully ruptured hamstring. Chelsea wants him to have surgery, which would completely rule him out for the World Cup.
The player and CBF wants to take a conservative recovery approach in Brasil, which would be his only hope of making the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/fFSIC3sdvU
— Brasil Football 🇧🇷 (@BrasilEdition) April 22, 2026
