High-profile players ruled out for rest of 2026 season

As the curtains gradually fall on major football leagues in Europe, some influential players have had their season ended abruptly due to injuries. Therefore, they won’t have any active role to play in their clubs’ ambitions for the rest of the 2025/2026 football season. From Mohamed Salah who trudged toward the touchline on April 25, […]

As the curtains gradually fall on major football leagues in Europe, some influential players have had their season ended abruptly due to injuries. Therefore, they won’t have any active role to play in their clubs’ ambitions for the rest of the 2025/2026 football season.

From Mohamed Salah who trudged toward the touchline on April 25, with his hand pressed firmly against a torn hamstring to Xavi Simons’ agonizing ACL rupture at Molineux to the recurring defensive heartbreaks at Real Madrid, the beautiful game is currently a landscape of shattered dreams.

Indeed, with less than two months before the 2026 World Cup kick off in North America, some of the world’s most electric talents are trading their boots for crutches, turning what should have been a triumphant season finale into a somber roll call of the fallen.

 

Big names ruled out by injuries

Mo Salah: The Egyptian’s time at Anfield may have come to an abrupt end after he suffered a hamstring tear in the 59th minute of the 3-1 victory against Crystal Palace on April 25, 2026.

His national team director, Ibrahim Hassan, confirmed that the injury will require approximately four weeks of recovery, which likely rules Salah out of Liverpool’s remaining fixtures against Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa and the season finale against Brentford.

 He is, however, expected to be fit for the World Cup.

Hugo Ekitike: The French star is expected to be sidelined until late 2026 or early 2027 after suffering a rupture of the Achilles tendon. The Liverpool attacker sustained the non-contact injury while attempting a sprint during a UEFA Champions League match against PSG on April 14.

Rodrygo: The young Brazilian is ruled out of the 2026 World Cup and is not expected to return to competitive play until early 2027. The Real Madrid forward suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee during a match against Getafe in March, 2026.

Xavi Simons: Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that their playmaker is set to be sidelined until early 2027 after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Eder Militao: The Real Madrid star defender is also ruled out of the 2026 World Cup after undergoing surgery on a severe hamstring injury.

Cristian Romero: The Tottenham captain is out for the reminder of the season after suffering a serious knee injury during Hotspur’s 0-1 defeat to Sunderland on April 12, 2026. The Loss of their influential leader is a critical blow as the club battles to avoid relegation.

Estevao Willian: The 19-year old Chelsea star has been ruled out of the season after suffering a serious hamstring injury during the Blues 0-1 defeat to Manchester United on April 18, 2026. The injury has also cast a significant doubt on his availability for Brazil’s 2026 World Cup campaign.

 

Ray of hope for Iwobi

While the aforementioned are confirmed to be out of the season for their clubs, there are others like Alex Iwobi who are currently down but still have a flicker of hope for a possible return before the end of the season.

The Nigerian playmaker, Iwobi, limped off with a hamstring problem during Fulham’s draw with Brentford on April 18. While he missed the subsequent match against Aston Villa, Marco Silva stated on April 24 that he expects Iwobi to be back before the end of the season.