The 2022 FIFA World Cup is the first to be held in the months of November and December, and the timing is already having an impact on the participating teams.
Due to the intense summer heat in host nation Qatar, the World Cup had to be moved from the usual June-July window. While the scheduling change will make for better playing conditions for the players, it has also posed a challenge for a number of squads.
Since the World Cup tournament falls smack in the middle of the European club season, rather than during the off-season which has been customary, it means any players injured in the weeks leading up to the World Cup are in danger of missing the tournament.
In past editions, these players had several weeks to recover prior to the tournament's kickoff, but this time around there is precious little time between the break from club play (November 14) and the start of the World Cup on Sunday, November 20.
MORE: Why is the 2022 World Cup being played in November?
World Cup injuries 2022
There are a significant number of injuries to track as the 2022 FIFA World Cup gets underway. These are some of the biggest names who will miss the tournament in Qatar, or have been ruled out during play:
- Karim Benzema (France)
- Lucas Hernandez (France)
- Presnel Kimpembe (France)
- Paul Pogba (France)
- N'Golo Kante (France)
- Mike Maignan (France)
- Christopher Nkunku (France)
- Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina)
- Nicolas Gonzalez (Argentina)
- Joaquin Correa (Argentina)
And here are the most high-profile injury situations we're monitoring closely:
- Ibrahima Konate (France)
- Raphael Varane (France)
- Kingsley Coman (France)
- Theo Hernandez (France)
- Aurelien Tchouameni (France)
We're tracking every team's most problematic injury situations below, with consistent updates as the tournaments progresses (countries listed in alphabetical order).
Note: Teams eliminated in the group stage and no longer competing in the tournament have subsequently been removed from the injury tracker.
Argentina injuries World Cup 2022
Angel Di Maria: The ageing Juventus winger picked up a thigh injury in the final group stage match but he was fit enough to come off the bench against the Netherlands.
Paulo Dybala: He suffered a torn hamstring on October 9 while taking and scoring a penalty. It looked initially unlikely that he would be available for the World Cup, but he has recovered in time and is on the roster. He has been a bench option throughout the tournament.
Giovani Lo Celso: The midfielder suffered a torn quad on October 30 while playing for Villarreal. Parent club Tottenham want him to undergo surgery and he has missed out on Qatar.
Lionel Messi: Argentinian hearts skipped a beat when Messi appeared to suffer a hamstring issue in their 3-0 semifinal win over Croatia but the PSG superstar confirmed it is not an issue and he is 'feeling strong' ahead of the final.
Other injuries:
- Nico Gonzalez (muscle): Missed Fiorentina's last four matches, replaced on the roster by Angel Correa.
- Joaquin Correa (knee): Injured in the pre-tournament friendly against UAE, replaced on the roster by Thiago Almada.
- Juan Foyth (undisclosed): Lo Celso's teammate at Villarreal has been out since Aug. 28 but he has since returned to action and was named to the squad.
- Leandro Paredes (quad): Out since Oct. 21 but he also made the final cut for Qatar.
- Cristian Romero (hamstring): Missed last five club games, was named in the squad but left out of warm-up match vs. UAE. Started the stunning defeat to Saudi Arabia but was substituted after 59 minutes.
- Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez (undisclosed): Not in the squad for UAE warm-up match, and part of the group of players Scaloni admits are not 100% fit.
MORE: Argentina's final 26-man World Cup squad
France injuries World Cup 2022
N'Golo Kante: The Chelsea midfielder has been injury prone his whole career, and succumbed to a hamstring issue early in the Premier League season. He's been out since mid-August and was ruled out of the World Cup a number of weeks before the tournament.
Paul Pogba: A knee injury in pre-season kept Pogba out of action for Juventus all season, and while it was thought he could recover in time for the World Cup, he suffered a thigh injury during his recovery, ruling him out of the World Cup. It's a brutal blow to France, who will be missing both their starting midfielders in Qatar.
Mike Maignan: Outside of Pogba and Kante, Maignan is the biggest miss for France due to the calf injury that has had him out of action since October 1. He was ruled out of club action through the new year by AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli. Maignan had a breakout season in 2021/22 and was a big reason the Rossoneri won the Serie A title.
Presnel Kimpembe: Originally called up to the squad, the PSG defender did not feel fully recovered from injury and so will not be at the World Cup. His place was taken by uncapped Monaco centre-back Axel Disasi.
Lucas Hernandez: Out for most of September and all of October with an adductor tear, Lucas Hernandez returned to fitness just in time for the World Cup. However, only nine minutes into the opening game against Australia Hernandez went down clutching his leg in severe pain. He has been ruled-out of the rest of the tournament with an ACL rupture.
Karim Benzema: The Ballon d'Or winner left France training after 15 minutes just a week before the start of his country's campaign, according to RMC, which said that the prolific striker has been suffering from a muscular problem but did not appear unduly concerned by the situation.
MORE: France's final World Cup squad for Qatar
On November 19, France confirmed that Benzema would play no part in the tournament because of a thigh injury. Didier Deschamps decided against calling up a replacement for the Real Madrid striker with Les Bleus sticking with a 25-man squad in Qatar.
Benzema returned to training with Real Madrid during the final week of the World Cup and Deschamps refused to confirm whether he could play a part against Argentina, although reports have suggested it is extremely unlikely.
Christopher Nkunku: The Leipzig attacker has been withdrawn from France's World Cup squad after picking up a knee injury during training. Subsequent scans confirmed a sprain which will keep him sidelined throughout the tournament in Qatar with Randal Kolo Muani replacing him in the squad.
Ibrahima Konate: The defender had already suffered with illness before missing France training on December 16 with the same issue.
Raphael Varane: The Manchester United centre-back was also part of a flu outbreak among the squad, although his symptoms were said to be milder.
Dayot Upamecano: Upamecano is a doubt for France's World Cup semifinal with Morocco after he and Adrien Rabiot missed their final training session through illness.
Kingsley Coman: The Bayern Munich winger would also affected by the flu.
Aurelien Tchouameni: The midfielder scored France's opening goal in their quarterfinal against England but missed training two days before the final with a bruised hip, according to RMC.
Theo Hernandez: RMC also reported that the fullback missed training because of a knee problem.
Other injuries:
- Lucas Digne (ankle): Returned to action with Aston Villa Oct. 29, and fit for selection, but he was not picked by Deschamps.
- Boubacar Kamara (knee ligament): Initially though to be out, but reportedly recovering faster than expected. He didn't make it in time and was left off the roster.