Injured France defender Hernandez out of World Cup
Injured France defender Hernandez out of World Cup
The Bayern Munich defender tore an anterior cruciate ligament in the 4-1 win over the Socceroos on Tuesda.
After he injured his knee during the reigning champions’ opening triumph over Australia, France defender Lucas Hernandez will miss the remainder of the World Cup, the team said on Wednesday.
Three important members of the squad that won the World Cup in Russia in 2018—Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, and Presnel Kimpembe—were ruled out due to injuries before the team travelled to Qatar.
With only 24 players left on his team, coach Didier Deschamps must now weigh his alternatives.
In a statement, Deschamps said: “Like the entire group, the players, and the staff, I am deeply saddened for Lucas.
“We are losing an important player. Lucas is a fighter and I have no doubt he’ll do everything possible to get back to full fitness.”
France captain Hugo Lloris said: “Honestly, it’s starting to become a big deal.
“We sensed immediately it was serious,” the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper added after the match.
“It’s the latest blow but we have to continue moving forward. It’s going to make us stronger.”
After Craig Goodwin gave the Socceroos the lead in the ninth minute, France, seeking to become the first team to successfully defend the championship since Brazil in 1962, had to come from behind.
Adrien Rabiot and Kylian Mbappe also scored, giving Olivier Giroud two goals to tie Thierry Henry for 51 goals overall for France.
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