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Injuries are frustrating for any footballer especially the ones which could keep them out of a competition as important as the World Cup which is the holy grail for any player. Every World Cup has its set of players who miss the tournament due to an injury. Theo Walcott, Radamel Falcao, Guiseppe Rossi and Sami Khedria are already a doubt for this years World Cup and hopefully won’t be joined by any more star players. Here is a list of 5 players who have missed a World Cup due to injury:
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5. Santiago Canizares
The former Valencia goalkeeper was one of the key players that missed the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Canizares, who was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, had his World Cup hopes ended after accidentally smashing a bottle of aftershave on his foot. The unfortunate incident occurred in the hotel room the Spanish team were staying in just days before they were set to depart for the tournament.
The shot stopper injured his tendon on his right foot after a shard from the bottle penetrated his skin effectively ending his World Cup hopes. Canizares was replaced by a young Iker Casillas who helped the team reach the quarter-finals of the tournament before being eliminated by hosts South Korea. Canizares made a few appearances for La Roja after his injury but lost his place as the team’s first choice goalkeeper due to the form of Casillas.
Essien has had some frustrating injuries in his career
4. Michael Essien
The Chelsea midfielder has a history with injuries and unfortunately one of them made him miss the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Ghanaian ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for his country towards the end of 2008 which kept him out of action for nearly six months. The one time most expensive African footballer returned to action for Chelsea but was told by doctors that he would not make a full recovery from his injury until after the World Cup.
The injury scared Essien enough to make him quit the national team in order to focus on his club career. However, the 31-year-old has not ruled out a return to international football and said that he would return to play for his country sometime in the future.
Ballack was Germany’s captain before he pulled out of the World Cup due to injury
3. Michael Ballack
The former German skipper was in stellar form for his country before the 2010 World Cup, scoring 4 goals in the qualifiers but never got a chance to shine in South Africa due to injury. Ballack, who was at Chelsea back then, picked up an ankle injury after being on the receiving end of a tackle by Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng in the final of the 2010 FA Cup which Chelsea eventually won.
The 34-year-old, who scored 42 times for his country, was nearing his 100th international cap when the injury occurred. Ballack still traveled with the team to South Africa to provide moral support. The midfielder was forced to retire from international football a year later after sustaining a number of minor injuries and never got to become a centurion for his country.
Di Stefano never played in a single World Cup
2. Alfredo Di Stefano
The Argentine striker, who is regarded by many as one of the greatest players ever, never got a chance to prove himself on the international stage. Di Stefano, who has represented the teams of Argentina, Columbia and Spain had a chance to enter the 1950 and 1954 tournaments but ultimately did not due to Argentina boycotting the 1950 tournament and was declared ineligible to play for the next one due to being capped by both Argentina and Columbia.
Real Madrid’s second highest goalscorer had a golden chance of playing in the 1962 tournament while representing Spain but had to pull out due to a muscular injury. Di Stefano retired from international football in 1962 becoming one of the few legendary players who have never played in the World Cup.
Beckham had represented England in 3 World Cups
Beckham, who is England’s second-most capped player behind Peter Shilton and his country’s most capped outfield player represented the Three Lions in three World Cups and almost took that tally to four, but that was unfortunately not to be.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player was a part of England’s doomed 2010 World Cup campaign and made a handful of appearances for Fabio Capello’s men in the qualifiers and almost made the 23-man squad. But a ruptured Achilles tendon ended his World Cup hopes. Beckham never played for England after that but said that he would never retire from international football as he was always willing to play for his country if he was fit.
The 38-year-old finally retired from all form of football last year having made 115 appearances for the Three Lions – just 10 short of Shilton’s record 125 appearances.
