Reece James makes World Cup vow with Chelsea player facing lengthy injury lay-off
Despite suffering a severe knee injury, Reece James remains optimistic about recovering in time for the World Cup.
The Chelsea defender is set to miss the next eight weeks due to a knee injury sustained during last Tuesday’s Champions League victory over AC Milan.
As a result, the 22-year-old will miss the World Cup, which begins in Qatar in just over a month.
James was expected to play a significant role in Gareth Southgate’s England team, especially with fellow right-backs Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold both suffering recent injuries that could prevent them from flying.
Despite this, James is determined to take a trip Qatar, as he stated on Twitter on Saturday night.
He said: ‘The race against time is on… But we won’t give up.’
The race against time is on… But we won’t give up.
— Reece James (@ReeceJames) October 15, 2022
His chances are slim at this point, with Southgate set to name his 26-man squad on November 10, and it remains to be seen how willing the manager is to gamble on any of his players’ fitness.
Regardless, James will not play for his club before the domestic and European seasons end, which means he will miss key games against Arsenal and Manchester United, as well as the conclusion of Chelsea’s Champions League group stage campaign.
Meanwhile, his Chelsea teammate N’Golo Kante will be unable to defend France’s World Cup title in Qatar due to a hamstring injury, which has ruled him out for three months.
Reece James makes World Cup vow with Chelsea player facing lengthy injury lay-off
