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Seven big-name stars who could miss World Cup due to injury

With the likes of England international Kalvin Phillips and Netherlands star Georginio Wijnaldum already ruled out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to injury, here are another seven big-name stars who are at risk of missing out on the showpiece in Qatar. 

Phillips and Wijnaldum suffered major setbacks in the early stages of this season, with the latter having broken his leg and the former remaining on the sidelines due to a shoulder injury.

Read: Liverpool's Nunez among 6 Ballon d'Or finalists to get 0 votes

However, there some more top players who are in danger of missing out on the World Cup, with the likes of Reece James and Angel Di Maria desperately hoping to regain their fitness in time for the tournament's kick-off in November.

The Chelsea fullback sustained a knee problem during a UEFA Champions League game against AC Milan last week, and reports have since claimed he could be sidelined for as many as eight weeks.

The loss of the 22-year-old would be a huge blow for the Three Lions if he does not recover in time as he has proved to be among manager Gareth Southgate's most trusted options at right-back. 

England could experience a double blow in this regard as Manchester City fullback Kyle Walker is also in a precarious position, having undergone surgery after he strained his groin in the Manchester derby at the beginning of the month.

Argentina winger Di Maria is also doubtful for the tournament in the Middle East, with Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi having recently expressed his concern that both the Juventus attacker and Roma's Paulo Dybala could miss the competition.

"It's a concern because it's a different World Cup, you play at a different time and we're so close that any little thing that can happen to you can leave you out," Messi told DirecTV Sports.

"I hope they both recover, they have plenty of time to get well for the World Cup. Hopefully, we can all get there in good health."

Scroll through the gallery below to see more stars who are at risk of missing the 2022 World Cup due to injury:

Angel Di Maria (Juventus) - Argentina
Angel Di Maria (Juventus) - ArgentinaGetty Images
Kyle Walker (Manchester City) - England
Kyle Walker (Manchester City) - EnglandGetty Images
N'Golo Kante (Chelsea) - France
N'Golo Kante (Chelsea) - FranceGetty Images
Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan) - Croatia
Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan) - CroatiaGetty Images
Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur) - Brazil
Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur) - BrazilGetty Images
Diogo Jota (Liverpool) - Portugal
Diogo Jota (Liverpool) - PortugalGetty Images

Their South American rivals Brazil, meanwhile could potentially leave Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison behind after he limped off the pitch against Everton last weekend due to a calf issue.

The player was reduced to tears in a post-match interview amid fears his World Cup hopes had evaporated.

While it remains unclear when he could make a full recovery, his manager Antonio Conte has said that the 25-year-old could still make it for the tournament in a month's time. 

Read: Pochettino linked with surprise Premier League return

Reigning world champions France have concerns of their own, with the biggest arguably being the availability of Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante.

Blues boss Graham Potter recently confirmed that things are not looking good for the 31-year-old who picked up another injury setback in training recently, one that could see him miss three months of action, per Football.London.

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