Chelsea and Ivory Coast’s top marksman Didier Drogba looks set to miss the World Cup finals after sustaining an elbow injury in the 2-0 victory against Japan. The injury comes as a massive blow to the tournament with a number of key players either doubtful or injured. Michael Ballack, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Essien, Rene Adler and Salvador Cabanas are only a few of the stars that will not be featuring this summer and with Fernando Torres, Andrea Pirlo and Lionel Messi all considered ‘doubtful’ in recent weeks – the tournament didn’t need another major star to drop out. Both Didier Drogba along with Samuel Eto’o are unmistakable icons of African football and it will be a major blow to CAF.
Ivory Coast lineup
Drogba is pivotal to the success of Ivory Coast and the tailisman knows it. His 44 goals in 68 games is a phenomenal scoring record at International level. Below is our suggested lineup, with Drogba included, however if he isn’t available Kone or Didane will step in:
Drogba injury
Drogba, holding his right arm, left the pitch and it has been confirmed that the frontman has sustained a fractured elbow. Ivory Coast and Manchester City defender and captain Kolo Toure says his team mate will not be able to play in South Africa: “For him, he said, the World Cup is finished. We can just see on his face that he was sad and when he is like that you can’t ask more. It is difficult for us because he is such a really important player.” Ivory Coast, managed by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson played down the challenge from Tulio: “It’s an elbow injury. How bad it is, I don’t know. He had a lot of pain. Of course I’m worried. He’s captain and one of the world’s best players. It was unlucky. It wasn’t bad or stupid. He [Tulio] didn’t want to hurt anyone. Football is a game of contact.”
Drogba hope: Statement released
Even though many colleagues and reliable sources are ruling Drogba out of the tournament the Ivory Coast football federation are not giving up hope just yet. The following statement was released: “He was taken urgently to a medical centre in Sion, where X-rays revealed a fracture in the player’s right forearm area. Didier Drogba’s state of health is the object of all the attention of the Elephants’ medical staff and of distinguished specialists. The Ivory Coast Football Federation stress that the striker Didier Drogba has not, for the moment, been ruled out of the 2010 World Cup.”
