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France have been dealt a huge blow, as midfielder Paul Pogba is set to miss the FIFA World Cup in Qatar next month.
The Juventus man had been nursing a knee injury before undergoing surgery, which has kept him sidelined. Now, Les Blues' worst fears have come true, as the Juventus man is confirmed to miss the flight to Qatar, according to his agent Rafaela Pimenta.
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Telefoot journalist Yassin Nfaoui said on Twitter:
"Rafaela Pimenta, Paul Pogba's agent confirms that the Frenchman is ruled out for the World Cup. After medical examinations carried out yesterday and today in Turin and Pittsburgh, the world champion needs to recover after his operation."
Pimenta added that Pogba is keen to return but must work patiently towards regaining fitness. He said:
"Paul would like to resume as soon as possible, but he must be patient, work hard in these difficult times and give the best of himself to be back on the field for the fans and his team as soon as possible."
Pogba's absence will be a huge loss for France, having been a key member of the squad for several years. He scored in the final of the 2018 World Cup in Russia as Les Blues beat Croatia to win the competition for the second time.
With N'Golo Kante also ruled out, Didier Deschamps and co. will have their task cut out without two key midfielders for the Qatar showpiece.
Paul Pogba-less France not among favourites in Qatar?
France have probably the most talented squad in the game right now with quality brimming in all departments.
However, it hasn't been a good year for them, as Les Bleus have only won three of eight games. They also bowed out in the group stage of the UEFA Nations League.
Les Blues avoided the ignominy of getting relegated to League B by just a point, and now they're going through an injury crisis.
Apart from Paul Pogba joining N'Golo Kante on the list of major absentees for the competition, key striker Karim Benzema has also struggled with injuries this season. Raphael Varane and Aurelien Tchouameni are also currently out.
It's not the most ideal preparation for the World Cup, and as things stand, it's looking difficult to see France successfully defending their crown. Les Bleus open their title defence against Australia on November 22 before taking on Denmark four days later and Tunisia on November 30.
