Minamino of Monaco suffers cruciate ligament tear, could miss the World Cup | OneFootball

The Japanese midfielder Takumi Minamino, a player for Monaco, suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the club announced this Monday, which puts his presence at risk for the 2026 World Cup, starting in six months.

Minamino was injured on Sunday during the Principality team's 2-1 victory over Auxerre in the round of 32 of the French Cup. After a collision with an opponent, he had to be taken off the field on a stretcher, covering his face with his hands.

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Key Player for Japan

The midfielder, who played 21 games (four goals) for Monaco this season, is one of the most important players for the Japanese national team, with which he has played 73 matches and scored 23 goals.

One of those goals was in Japan's first-ever victory over Brazil (3-2) in a friendly match held in mid-October in Tokyo. Minamino scored the first for the 'Samurai Blue', who were then trailing 2-0 and later managed to turn the game around.

The Japanese national team will be in Group F of the World Cup, along with the Netherlands, Tunisia, and a European team to be determined between Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, and Albania.

*Content by AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.