The 2022 FIFA World Cup is one of the most talked-about in history, and not always for the right reasons. It’s estimated that over 5 billion people will tune in at some point! Many of these watchers have already experienced unexpected outcomes, such as Saudi Arabia’s victory over Argentina, Morocco’s 2-0 defeat of Belgium, and Japan’s triumph against Germany.
As expected from a tournament staged halfway through most major domestic leagues, the Qatar World Cup has been hard on players. We’ve already seen a couple of players sent home with injuries while others are forced to miss several games due to minor knocks and suspensions. Read on to see which players got a short end of the stick.
Neymar
Neymar played in Brazil’s victory over Serbia, but he will most likely miss the rest of the group stage after damaging his ankle ligaments.
He is arguably the most notable omission so far – with 3 points on the board and more expected, it’s unlikely that Brazil will miss him. They should have him back for the knockout stages.
Karim Benzema
If you’re wondering why the prolific Karim Benzema didn’t make an appearance in France’s first two games, it’s because he was sent home before the first ball was kicked. He injured his quadriceps – no doubt disappointed a lot of “top goalscorer” bettors in the process.
Ronald Araujo
Araujo missed Uruguay’s opening game and might miss the rest of the group stage. The Barcelona defender had surgery on his thigh in September and is struggling for full fitness. He’s in the squad, and if Uruguay makes it to the knockout stages, he will be ready to play.
Otavio and Nuno Mendes
Both Otavio’s and Nuno Mendes’s appearances for Portugal are veiled in uncertainty. There’s a chance we’ll see one or both of them briefly during the second and third rounds of group games. But after Mendes missed the opener and Otavio departed the field with an injury, it’s unlikely they’ll play full matches.
Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker missed England’s opening game due to injury, but he was available for selection for the second match. Southgate chose an unchanged team, so the Man City man didn’t feature. There’s a good chance that will change, as England has typically relied on his pace at right-back.
Wayne Hennessey
Hennessey is the main shot-stopper for Wales, but he was sent off against Iran, so Wales will now have to rely on second-choice goalkeeper Danny Ward.
Luckily, Ward is a solid choice and has plenty of experience. He has played over a dozen times for Leicester City this season and featured throughout the Euro 2020 tournament.
World Cup Betting with GemBet
We’ve witnessed plenty of excellent games in the 2022 FIFA World Cup so far, and many more are on the way.
At GemBet, you can bet on all of these games with countless other matches. We also have special promotions themed around the World Cup, along with our BetCast podcast, which covers all of the action.
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