Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba looks set to miss the World Cup with a suspected fractured elbow after he was taken off in a friendly against Japan today, according to L’Equipe.
Drogba went down following a challenge from the Japan defender Tulio Tanaka and he left the pitch in visible distress.
Drogba was immediately taken to hospital in Sion, Switzerland, where the Ivorians are currently based and acccording to L’Equipe, he confirmed after a scan that he will not be fit to play in South Africa.
The injury is a huge blow to the player, who was hoping to crown what the finest season of his career by leading his country at the first World Cup to be staged in Africa.
The loss of the player is a severe blow to Ivory Coast’s chances of emerging from a daunting World Cup group that also contains Brazil, Portugal and North Korea.