Dutch defender Jurrien Timber won’t compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury mere days to the start of the Netherlands’ campaign at the competition. He has been replaced by Lutsharel Geertruida of AFC Sunderland.
Ronald Koeman’s side take on Japan on June 14 before taking on Sweden and Tunisia at the group stage. Netherlands’ game against Tunisia will take place in Kansas City where a shooting incident this past weekend injured nine people.
However, Arsenal defender Timber won’t feature in the World Cup after suffering a slow recovery from a groin injury he had been dealing with since March. He did play 55 minutes in Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League loss to PSG but his recovery didn’t meet the standards of the Dutch Team’s medical team.
“The 24-year-old defender has not recovered sufficiently from a groin injury to take part in the World Cup in a medically responsible manner.”
“In consultation with the medical staff, it has therefore been decided that Timber will leave the national team’s pre-camp in New York after the game against Uzbekistan” the Dutch Team announced.
