We had already mentioned in previous articles how important players such as Radamel Falcao, Giuseppe Rossi and Theo Walcott will probably be missing out on the biggest tournament in football due to serious injury.

Kevin Strootman

The list has just increased, as Roma’s Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a tear in his left knee’s anterior cruciate ligament during Roma’s loss to Napoli in the Serie A.

It surely is a shame as the player, who was bought by the Giallorossi this summer from PSV Eindhoven, turned out to be the club’s best summer signing, slotting in perfectly into midfield. Strootman also improved during his time at Roma, proven by his exceptional performances and attitude during his matches for the Oranjes. Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal also claimed ‘We would never have been so successful without him. But it’s worse for Kevin, who sees his dream fall apart.’

As more and more big names keep getting added to this list, there is still a glimmer of hope left for some players, as recently both Falcao and Rossi’s recuperation processes are better than expected, increasing the chances of finding themselves in Brazil after all. One thing is for sure, no true football fan wants this particular list to grow.