With the World Cup looming ever closer, 32 teams who have qualified for the finals are busy making final preparations and managers are frantically looking for their starting 11.
However, all these preparation so close to the World Cup has come with a cost for some nations. Key players have got themselves injured and are at risk of losing out on finals.
The following are a list of players who have been selected in the final 23-man squad but might not feature in the World Cup due to their injuries.
DIDIER DROGBA, Ivory Coast
The Ivory Coast’s fearsome striker underwent successful surgery on an injured elbow on Saturday but remains a doubt for the finals. Drogba picked up the injury in a World Cup warm-up against Japan on Friday.
ARJEN ROBBEN, Netherlands
The Dutch winger needs a scan to determine the extent of a hamstring injury he suffered in a 6-1 friendly thrashing of Hungary on Saturday. Robben attempted a clever backheel pass before collapsing with no Hungarian players near him. He hobbled off before heading immediately to the dressing room.
ANDREA PIRLO, Italy
The Italian midfielder will miss the defending champions’ opening game of the tournament against Paraguay, and possibly the whole tournament, after injuring his calf in Thursday’s 2-1 friendly defeat by Mexico.
HARRY KEWELL, Australia
The Australian winger has hardly played since December because of a troublesome groin injury.
TIM BROWN, New Zealand
It is unknown if the New Zealand vice-captain will recover in time from surgery on a fractured shoulder suffered in the friendly defeat to Australia last month.
HUMBERTO SUAZO, Chile
Chile’s leading striker will reportedly miss their opening World Cup match against Honduras and possibly the second game with Switzerland because of a hamstring injury.
LEE DONG-GUK, South Korea
The South Korean striker was named in the final 23-man squad despite concerns over a thigh problem which is expected to keep him out of their opening game against Greece on June 12.
MARTIN SKRTEL, Slovakia
Skrtel suffered the injury in the 16th minute of a World Cup warm-up game against Costa Rica on Saturday and was substituted immediately.
WILSON PALACIOS, Honduras
Wilson Palacios could miss the World Cup finals after being taken to hospital after suffering an injury during Honduras’ 3-0 defeat to Romania on Saturday.