The World Cup 2022 in Qatar is just three weeks away. And more than anything, it is the fear of injury that has gripped footballers across leagues as matches continue to come thick and fast in a packed calendar.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted on Friday that the upcoming World Cup will be in players' minds as they try to avoid injury.
England duo Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips are unlikely to play for City again before the break for the World Cup as they battle to fit in time to be selected by Gareth Southgate for the tournament that starts on November 20.
Also, Manchester United's Raphael Varane left the field in tears when the France centre-back suffered a muscle injury against Chelsea.
Earlier, Tottenham’s Richarlison feared the worst when he suffered a calf injury. However, the Brazil striker and Varane have since been given hope they could make it to Qatar with neither injury as serious as first feared.
“What I see is a really packed schedule now, a lot of players playing a lot of minutes, and realistically we will lose more,” said England manager Southgate last month. “I just think it’s so intense and the players have had so much football.”
So who all are injured and which players still have a chance of making to the Qatar World Cup. Scroll through the gallery above to find out.
List of injured players ahead of Fifa World Cup 2022
Raphael Varane (France) - Leg injury
N'Golo Kante (France) - Hamstring injury. Out for four months after surgery
Richarlison (Brazil) - Calf injury
Reece James (England) - Knee injury
Diogo Jota (Portugal) - Calf injury
Jesus Corona (Mexico) - Out due to ankle injury
Alexander Isak (Sweden) - Thigh injury
Paulo Dybala (Argentina) - Thigh muscle injury
Boubacar Kamara (France) - Knee ligament injury
Pedro Neto (Portugal) - Ankle injury
Arthur Melo (Brazil) - Muscle injury
Kyle Walker (England) - Groin surgery
Kalvin Phillips (England) - Shoulder problem
Paul Pogba (France) - Surgery on damaged meniscus
Ronald Araujo (Uruguay) - Thigh surgery
Angel di Maria (Argentina) - Hamstring injury
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) - Hamstring injury
Timo Werner (Germany) - Torn ankle ligament
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Stadium 974 in Doha that will host matches at the 2022 Fifa World Cup. It has a capacity of 40,000. AFP -
The Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar. Capacity: 40,000. AFP -
The Khalifa International Stadium. AFP -
The Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan. Capacity: 45,000. AFP -
The Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan. AFP -
The Lusail Stadium is around 20 km north of Doha. Capacity: 80,000. AFP -
The Lusail Stadium in Qatar. AFP -
The Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. Capacity: 60,000. AFP -
The Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah. Capacity: 40,000. AFP -
The Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar. AFP -
The Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. Capacity: 40,000. AFP -
The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. Capacity: 44,000. AFP -
The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. AFP
