England will be without defender Ben Chilwell at the 2022 FIFA World Cup after he sustained an injury playing for Chelsea.
A scan is understood to have confirmed Chelsea’s worst fears that Chilwell suffered a tear to his hamstring against Dinamo Zagreb.
It is not thought Chilwell needs surgery, but the left-back is now facing a period of rehabilitation that could last as long as three months.
Earlier on Saturday, a Chelsea statement read: “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.”
The 25-year-old tweeted: “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.
