Manchester United star Matthijs de Ligt has officially announced that he will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the Netherlands after failing to recover from a persistent back injury.
De Ligt had a stellar start to the season, featuring in every match for the “Red Devils” and winning the Manchester United Player of the Month award for November. However, a back injury sustained that same month has ultimately ended his World Cup dreams.
Dutch star suffers ACL injury, ruling him out of the 2026 World Cup
The Road to Surgery
The 26-year-old defender revealed on Instagram that he underwent surgery recently to end the pain after five months of unsuccessful conservative treatment.
“I did my best, trained hard in every session, and explored every available option to return to what I love most—playing football,” the former Bayern Munich star shared. “I am grateful to everyone who supported me during this difficult period. I remain determined to represent Manchester United and play in front of our amazing fans as soon as possible.”
International Career Impact
De Ligt, who has 57 caps for the “Oranje,” was looking forward to a major role in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. During the 2022 Qatar World Cup, he featured in only two of the five matches under Louis van Gaal as the Netherlands reached the quarter-finals. This latest injury is a massive blow to Ronald Koeman’s defensive plans for 2026.
