England defender Ben Chilwell ruled out of World Cup

Ben Chilwell will miss the 2022 World Cup with England due to a “significant” hamstring injury.

The left-back suffered the injury in Chelsea’s 2-1 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.

The former Leicester City player, who has played 17 times for England, was a part of the squad that reached the European Championship final in 2021.

Chilwell confirms World Cup absence

Chilwell confirmed the news on his social media channels on Saturday: “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.”

Chelsea’s statement

Chelsea released a statement on Saturday: “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.”

Blow for Southgate ahead of World Cup

Chilwell’s news is a major blow to Gareth Southgate ahead of the tournament in Qatar later this month. Chelsea defender Reece James remains a doubt for the tournament, while question marks remain over Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips.

The England boss is set to name his final 26-man squad for the tournament on Thursday 10 November.