World Cup could wheel out an impressive all-injured team
Pretty soon, if things keep going the way they have, it will be possible to field a competitive World Cup team — on paper, at least — made up solely of players who will miss the tournament because of injury.
Out on the right wing, on crutches, England’s David Beckham, hobbled by a torn left Achilles’ tendon.
In the center of midfield, also on crutches, Germany’s Michael Ballack, his World Cup hopes dashed by torn ligaments in his right ankle.
Up front in attack, U.S. forward Charlie Davies, who has failed to recover in time after an October car wreck, and Honduras forward Carlos Costly, sidelined recently by a foot injury.
“We’ve all been shocked by Costly’s situation,” said Honduras Coach Reinaldo Rueda. “He was [our] only international forward playing and scoring goals. There is no one to replace him.”
On defense, Switzerland’s Cristoph Spycher, a veteran left back who would have been shadowing Costly when the Swiss play the Hondurans in the World Cup’s first round, but now is staying home because of a knee injury. “I had no choice but to inform the coach that he must plan without me,” a disconsolate Spycher said.
The five players are just some of those who definitely will miss South Africa 2010. There are others, big-name players among them, who are fighting to be fit in time for the June 11-July 11 extravaganza.
Spain’s Xavi is widely considered one of the top two or three playmakers in the world, but the European champions might have to do without him because of a calf muscle tear that his club coach, Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola, said “could see him miss out on the World Cup.”
Spain has two other serious worries. Liverpool striker Fernando Torres underwent knee surgery in April and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas cracked a bone in his right leg in March. Both are expected to miss Spain’s World Cup opener against Switzerland.
Brazil’s Kaka, key to the five-time champions’ hopes for a sixth World Cup title, also is battling to recover fully from groin and thigh problems that limited his playing time with Real Madrid.
“The medical team will evaluate my condition, but I’m fine,” Kaka said last week. “I’ll be 100%. “It was a tough season for me but there is a lot of time until the World Cup for me to get ready.”
The man Brazil is counting on to provide the goals, Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, also is hurting, so much so that he had to sit out Wednesday’s Spanish Cup final against Atletico Madrid. “It’s a minor [thigh muscle] injury, but I didn’t want to risk aggravating it,” Fabiano said. “In two weeks I should be fine.”
Michael Essien, Ballack’s teammate at Chelsea, also could miss the tournament because of a knee injury suffered at the African Nations Cup in January. He has not played a game since then.
“I have to keep working hard to be fit,” Essien said last week. “As long as I am declared fit by the medical team then I will be in South Africa for sure.”
