With the 2020-21 club season over, it’s time for most national team managers to get to work and pick their squads for the most anticipated tournament of the year, Euro 2020. This is where uncertainties start to creep in some squads with some players doubtful for the tournament due to long-term injuries like the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk and some other top-class players.
In this piece, we’re looking at five such marquee players who are ruled out of the tournament.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK (NETHERLANDS)
The Dutch captain, Virgil van Dijk recently took to social media to announce that he will not be participating in the Euros and will be rallying his troops from the sidelines this year. Van Dijk suffered an unfortunate ACL injury while playing for Liverpool against their neighbourhood rivals, Everton in October 2020. The centre-half hasn’t appeared in the season ever since but is on the right recovery path. ACL is one of the worst injuries any footballer can get and its recovery period varies from 11 months to 13, hence ruling Van Dijk out of the tournament.
MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN (GERMANY)
Germany’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen will miss next month’s European Championship after the Barcelona goalkeeper underwent some procedures on his knee recently. The 29-year old shot-stopper played almost the entire season for Barcelona after returning from a knee problem that caused some discomfort in the previous campaign. However, he again had to undergo further procedures on his knee and will miss Euro 2020 because of that.
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC (SWEDEN)
Another great of the game affected by a knee injury is Sweden’s 39-year-old striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who made a high-profile return from retirement before being recalled to his national squad. He went off after suffering the injury in the 64th minute of AC Milan’s 3-0 win over Juventus. The forward has been recommended to undergo a cautious rehabilitation process that could last six weeks meaning that he is ruled out of the Euros.
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JOE GOMEZ (ENGLAND)
Just like his Liverpool centre-back partner Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez also suffered a very serious knee injury back in November 2020 and was ruled out of the season. Gomez is also in rehabilitation but can’t recover in time for the Euros. The 24-year-old defender is quite liked by England coach Gareth Southgate and would surely have been a part of the squad if fit.
ANSU FATI (SPAIN)
The 18-year-old teenage sensation Ansu Fati is one of the highly-rated young wingers in Europe. Spanish coach Luis Enrique would have loved to have him as the x-factor player in the squad for the Euros but a knee injury forced Fati to be ruled out for the season. The youngster had plenty of setbacks in his recovery and now is back in Barcelona to get ready for next season.
