Potential replacements for 5 big-name players in doubt for World Cup 2022 Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Approve Reject & ban Delete Logout
Potential replacements for 5 big-name players in doubt for World Cup 2022
Belgium v France – UEFA Nations League 2021 Semi-final The FIFA World Cup 2022 has a lot of firsts attached to it. The Middle East will witness the tournament on their own turf for the first time in history, and European football will be on pause, unprecedentedly, during the month of November and December to accommodate the event being held outside its traditional summer window. The Qatari-hosted event is brushed by the unfamiliarness, not limited to place and time. Fixture congestion due to an unusual international schedule has led to an increased injury rate and not enough time for players to recover, forcing them to tread thin ice of commitment to club results and ambition to appear in football's pinnacle meet. As we get closer to the World Cup, any kind of injury setback has become a nightmare for players. The likes of , Diogo Jota, and are already out of the competition, while many others are sweating over their fitness with the grand kick-off less than three weeks away. Here are five big-name stars who face a race against time to be fit and ready to help their respective nations to glory. Reece James - England
Reece James is doubtful for England Up until a few weeks ago, Gareth Southgate had an abundance of right-backs at his disposal, so much so that Trent Alexander-Arnold's place in England's 26-man squad wasn't certain. However, an injury to James - Southgate's first-choice right-back - has destabilized England's entire right flank. With already a doubt, the man could've slotted in as the right-sided centre-back in the back three as well. James limped off against in early October with a knee injury and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. Plan B: was benched against both Italy and Germany during the latest round of fixtures. But he's now the favorite to take James' place at right-back ahead of Alexander-Arnold due to the latter's defensive deficiencies. Romelu Lukaku - Belgium
Lukaku is a doubt for the World Cup Lukaku, the Chelsea star currently on loan at Inter, is battling fitness issues ahead of Belgium's opener against Iran on November 15. The Belgian striker made a comeback from a two-month injury lay-off against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League before pulling his hamstring again in a 3-0 win over Sampdoria. Lukaku will be reassessed in a few days. Plan B: Speaking to Nieuwsblad last week, Roberto Martinez said Lukaku is irreplaceable and his absence would force Belgium to change their playing style. , who has so far competed with Eden Hazard in midfield at international level, could be shifted to a more advanced role to fill Lukaku's void. and Hove Albion's versatile forward has scored seven Premier League goals this season. He played as the sole striker against Chelsea and scored the opening goal in a 4-1 win over the weekend. Richarlison - Brazil
Richarlison is a doubt for Brazil due to a calf strain Having started the last two Brazil games as a number nine, Richarlison was expected to keep his place in Qatar as well. But a calf-strain against his former club in mid-October threw his hopes of leading Brazil's line in jeopardy. Richarlison wasn't part of Tottenham Hotspur's squad that traveled to France for their Champions League tie against on Tuesday and could lose his place to other in-form goalscorers with Tite's squad announcement fast approaching. Plan B: The Brazilians are blessed with plenty of strikers. , , and others are all in fine form for their respective clubs, and could comfortably replace Richarlison if called upon. Giovani Lo Celso - Argentina
Lo Celso has been great for Argentina but could miss the World Cup Brazil's South American rivals and one of the competition's favorites; Argentina have been handed a late injury scare. Lo Celso suffered an injury while playing for in La Liga at the weekend. The Spurs loanee has formed a tenacious midfield alongside Rodrigo De Paul and and his absence could prove to be a huge blow to Lionel Messi's World Cup dream. Lo Celso will be assessed further, but as things stand, it will be very difficult for the midfielder to be available in time. Plan B: Enzo Fernandez has little experience under his belt for Argentina and brings different traits to Lo Celso. But considering his immense performances for Benfica in the Champions League, Fernandez might not only get into Lionel Scaloni's starting XI but may prove to be one of Argentina's standout players at the grandest stage. Raphael Varane - France
Varane could miss the 2022 World Cup The Frenchman left the field in tears following an injury at Stamford Bridge on October 23. Subsequent updates regarding the hamstring injury have been positive. But, Varane will not be available for Manchester United before the competition, and is currently undergoing rehabilitation at France's Clairefontaine. Plan B: France are already light in midfield following Pogba and N'Golo Kanté's injury blows, and will now enter the tournament with an uncertain backline. Wesley Fofana is already out, and the absence of his most experienced defender in Varane will force Didier Deschamps to place his trust in youngsters Dayot and in Qatar. Alternatively, he could go back to using his 4-2-3-1 formation to partner one of Upamecano or Saliba alongside Lucas Hernandez. The system could also compensate for Pogba's creativity (in 3-4-1-2) through the inclusion of an extra attacker. Paul Merson predicts the result of Newcastle vs Chelsea and other EPL GW 16 fixtures! Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Thank You! Show More Comments No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ Be the first one to comment on this story More from Sportskeeda Fetching more content... 1 Logout No Results Found