Geertruida earns late Netherlands World Cup call as Sunderland’s Ta Bi stars at Maurice Revello | OneFootball

Sunderland’s World Cup contingent has risen from 11 to 12 this summer after loan defender Lutsharel Geertruida received a late Netherlands call-up, with Arsenal’s Jurriën Timber ruled out by a groin injury.

The Netherlands FA said on Monday that Timber, 24, will miss the 2026 finals and will leave the pre-camp in New York after facing Uzbekistan, adding that Ronald Koeman has summoned Geertruida to restore the group at the Kansas base to 26 players.

Geertruida spent last season on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig and made 30 appearances. As it stands he is due to return to Leipzig, but he will now have the chance to impress at the World Cup, where the Netherlands face Japan, Sweden and Tunisia in the group stage.

Winger Jocelin Ta Bi will not be in Ivory Coast’s World Cup squad, but he has shone for the Under-21s at the Maurice Revello Tournament in France.

He opened the scoring in a 3-3 draw with Japan last Monday, then did so again in a 3-1 win over Venezuela two days later. Absent for a goalless draw with Portugal on Saturday, he returned to start and hit a brace in a 2-1 victory against Canada on Tuesday, sealing a semi-final place.

The 21-year-old joined in January from Maccabi Netanya, made two appearances before an ankle injury, and was an unused substitute in Sunderland’s last four games. Ivory Coast will learn their last-four opponents soon, with Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, China and Congo in contention.

Source: Sunderland Echo