Title: Son Heung-min's Eye Injury Casts Doubt Over World Cup Participation
South Korean star, Son Heung-min, sustained an injury during Tottenham's Champions League victory over Marseille on Tuesday, leaving his participation in the 2022 World Cup in question. With the tournament commencing on November 20, the 30-year-old forward is now facing a race against time to recover.
The incident occurred during a tussle for a header, leaving Son with a severe blow to his left eye. Medical attention on the field proved lengthy, and he seemed disoriented after leaving the pitch, assisted by his team's medical staff.
Tottenham clinched a 2-1 win, securing the top spot in their group and clinching a place in the knockouts. However, the future of their key player remains uncertain.
A statement released by Tottenham on Wednesday confirmed that Son would undergo surgery to repair a fracture around his left eye. The club announced that their star player would initiate his recovery process under the guidance of the medical team, with updates on his condition to follow in due course.
World Cup Turmoil
While Tottenham has yet to reveal an estimated return date for Son, past examples suggest that players can return to action within three weeks of a similar injury. For instance, Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City returned to action after 21 days following a similar eye injury, representing Belgium at the 2021 European Championship.
With South Korea kicking off their World Cup campaign against Uruguay on November 24, their hopes of maintaining strong form with their captain and top performer in tow remain high. However, there are also concerns over several other stars seeking to be present in Qatar.
England defender Ben Chilwell hobbled off the battlefield following Chelsea's Champions League triumph over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, with the extent of his knee injury unclear. Although the defender was unable to continue, there has been no official confirmation of his absence from the World Cup.
Manchester United's midfielder and teammate with Son in the South Korean national team, Paul Pogba, was earlier confirmed to miss a game due to injury. Similarly, French teammate and United defender Raphael Varane's participation in the tournament is also in question after leaving the field in tears during United's draw with Chelsea last month.
Further Reading:
Despite the injury, Son Heung-min's impact on the field was instrumental in Tottenham's qualification for the Champions League, and his absence could be a significant setback for the South Korean squad in the World Cup.
Source:
Enrichment Data: While the base article implies that Son's injury may impact his participation in the World Cup, it does not provide specific details on the extent of its impact upon the tournament. The information sourced does suggest that the player sustained an injury prior to the commencement of the World Cup, but it is not confirmed whether this injury will ultimately prevent his participation [2]. However, the possibility of the team's key player missing critical games during the tournament undoubtedly casts a shadow over the South Korean squad's chances of progressing [2].
