Chelsea and England defender Ben Chilwell is expected to miss the World Cup with a “significant” hamstring injury.
The 25-year-old left-back sustained the problem in the Blues’ 2-1 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.
And a statement from the club on Saturday said: “Following the injury sustained in our recent game against Dinamo Zagreb, Ben has undergone a scan on his hamstring.
“Results show that Ben has suffered a significant injury and the defender is unfortunately expected to miss the World Cup.
“Ben will now begin a rehabilitation programme with the club’s medical department.”
Chilwell, who returned to action in May having missed much of last season after sustaining anterior cruciate ligament damage, wrote on Twitter: “Following my ACL injury I worked so hard to make sure I was ready for the World Cup.
“It has always been a dream of mine. Unfortunately, this won’t be possible following my scan results. I’ll do all I can to get back playing for Chelsea ASAP. Thanks for the messages of support.”
Gareth Southgate will name his England squad for the World Cup in Qatar on Thursday, with their campaign then getting under way against Iran on November 21.
Chilwell is the latest injury problem for Southgate to deal with ahead of the tournament.
Chilwell’s Chelsea team-mate Reece James suffered a knee injury in mid-October and was given an eight-week recovery time, while Manchester City’s Kyle Walker, his fellow right-back, has been out of action since undergoing groin surgery last month.
Meanwhile, City midfielder Kalvin Phillips remains sidelined after having surgery on a shoulder injury in September.
Chilwell has made 17 senior international appearances, scoring one goal.
He was part of the squad that reached the European Championship final in 2021 but did not play in any games during the tournament.
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