| These last friendly matches between contesting | | | | made an unnatural movement in the pitch and had to |
| soccer teams seem not to be so friendly after all. | | | | be taken out by the paramedics. It has been |
| The injury list just keeps getting bigger and bigger. | | | | reported that he suffered a hamstring injury. There |
| As of press time, World Cup 2010 already will miss a | | | | is still a chance that he might make a full recovery |
| couple key-players while some others are quite | | | | before the tournament kicks in, or at least before |
| expectant of a quick recovery before the | | | | they finish the group round-robin first stage. |
| tournament's opener. | | | | Nigeria's midfielder John Obi Mikel has been officially |
| For starters Ivory Coast's striker Didier Drogba | | | | set aside from the national team as his knee injury |
| suffered a fracture in his arm in his teams 2-0 win | | | | has yet to heal. He will be replaced by Ideye Brown. |
| over Japan on June 4. A Japanese player's knee hit | | | | But that's not the end of the injury list. German team |
| the Chelsea's player in his elbow, fracturing two | | | | captain Michael Ballack also suffered an ankle injury in |
| distinct bones. | | | | May. He is going to miss on the World Cup action. |
| That same day, England's captain, and just like | | | | Next to Beckham these are the two most notorious |
| Drogba, another key-player in their national team, Rio | | | | players missing the most important even in |
| Ferdinand suffered a knee ligament injury during | | | | international football soccer. |
| training on Friday. This has brought in some bad news | | | | Mexico has reported forward Guillermo Franco. Chile |
| to a team that was already missing striker David | | | | striker Humberto Suazo injury-related situation is still |
| Beckham, who tore his Achilles' tendon last march. | | | | to be confirmed, so its uncertain whether he will play |
| Italy also reports a last minute injury on their | | | | or not. Germany has also lost goalkeeper Rene Adler, |
| midfielder Andrea Pirlo who injured a calf muscle | | | | and midfielder Simon Rolfes to different injuries. |
| during his team's 2-1defeat against Mexico. There is | | | | And of course there is Micheal Essien, Ghana's |
| still no official standing on his condition, and it seems | | | | national soccer team striker, who just couldn't |
| that he might miss the tournament as well. | | | | complete his recovery. He had been suffering from |
| The Netherlands is also reporting an injury from their | | | | an injury in his right knee since January 15th. Despite |
| striker Arjen Robben. He came in as a substitution | | | | intensive therapy and care, the striker has is going to |
| during the Netherland's 6-1 win over Hungary in | | | | miss on the first World Cup tournament to be played |
| Amsterdam. Robben scored two goals before he | | | | in the African continent. |