Playing at the World Cup is one of the proudest moments of any footballer’s career.
But for some of the biggest stars in the game, their World Cup 2026 dream has turned into a nightmare, with injury robbing them of the chance to appear in North America this summer.
Several of these players have seen their dreams dashed agonisingly close to the start of the tournament, which gets underway on Thursday.
Metro takes a look at some of the stars who will be forced to watch the action at home like the rest of us over the next few weeks.
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Hugo Ekitike – France
Ekitike will be out of action until later this year following an Achilles tendon rupture sustained during Liverpool’s Champions League clash with PSG back in April.
The 23-year-old, who has since undergone successful surgery, had been enjoying a successful first season at Anfield after his £69m move from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer, with 17 goals scored in all competitions before his season-ending injury.
Ekitike would have been hoping to add to his tally of two goals for Les Blues, for whom he only made his debut for last September.
Rodrygo – Brazil
Rodrygo’s World Cup dreams were ended courtesy of a tear to both his ACL and meniscus.
The cruel double injury blow came minutes after coming on as a substitute in Real Madrid’s defeat to Getafe in March.
Rodrygo, who featured in all of Brazil’s games at the last World Cup, described picking up the injury as one of the ‘worst days of my life’.
Xavi Simons – Netherlands
Simons picked up a ruptured ACL after jarring his right knee during Tottenham’s vital win against Wolves in April, with the 23-year-old describing his World Cup absence as ‘heartbreaking’.
The initial treatment offered to Simons by the club’s medical staff prompted outrage in some quarters, with footage going viral which showed the Dutch star jumping up and down to test the injury before collapsing in agony and subsequently being stretchered off the field.
Simons was enduring a difficult first campaign in north London having joined from Leipzig last year but had begun to show glimpses of his undoubted talent in the weeks before his injury, scoring a goal and registering an assist in the previous game against Brighton as Spurs battled to retain their Premier League status.
Fermin Lopez – Spain
Lopez fractured his foot during Barcelona’s final home game of the season against Real Betis in May and has since had surgery.
The midfielder has enjoyed an outstanding season for the Spanish giants and played a pivotal part in helping Barca to land their 29th league title.
Lopez would have comfortably added to his seven caps this summer, and would have been eyeing his second major trophy having been part of the victorious Euro 2024 squad two years ago.
Estevao – Brazil
The World Cup will be without one of it’s brightest young stars with 19-year-old Estevao sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The Chelsea player limped off in the 16th minute of the defeat to Manchester United in April and was in tears in the dressing room after the game.
Estevao, who has impressed in his first season in English football after joining from Palmeiras last year, has established himself as a regular in the Brazil squad and scored four goals in his last four outings for the Selecao.
Serge Gnabry – Germany
The Bayern Munich star will be restricted to a watching brief this summer following an adductor injury to his right thigh.
The ailment was sustained during penalty training with Bayern in April, with an expected return date yet to be revealed.
Gnabry played in all six of Germany’s World Cup qualifiers and has won 59 caps in total for his country.
Kaoru Mitoma – Japan
Japan will be without arguably their biggest talent for the World Cup after the Brighton player was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury.
Mitoma picked up the complaint in the win over Wolves in May, with Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu saying his country had lost ‘a major presence’ with the winger.
Mitoma made his international debut in 2021 and has scored nine goals in 31 appearances since then.
Billy Gilmour – Scotland
Gilmour suffered devastation in Scotland’s World Cup warm-up game against Curacao on May 30.
The midfielder’s knee injury did not prevent him from walking off the pitch at Hampden Park, but a subsequent scan revealed the true extent of the damage, which came 15 days before Scotland’s group opener against Haiti.
Gilmour took to Instagram and said: ‘I haven’t got the words to describe how I’m feeling right now. Being so close to a childhood dream of mine, to play in a World Cup, and now it has been taken away from me with an injury. It’s been a tough one to get my head around.’