Injuries Plague Players During International Break

Armando Broja began on the bench for Albania in their match against England and was introduced in the 75th minute. Unfortunately, his time on the pitch was abruptly cut short due to a leg injury sustained just ten minutes later. The striker was visibly distressed, shedding tears as medical staff carried him off the field on a stretcher.

Broja has a history of knee injuries, notably an anterior cruciate ligament tear in 2023 that sidelined him for a significant portion of the season while he was still with Chelsea. This latest setback makes him another Premier League player to suffer an injury while representing his country.

The match on Sunday held little significance for Thomas Tuchel’s squad, as they had already secured their place in the World Cup. However, England’s 2-0 victory, featuring two goals from Harry Kane, concluded their qualifying campaign with an impressive record of eight wins and no goals conceded.

With his brace against Albania, Kane reached a milestone of 78 international goals, surpassing the legendary Pele of Brazil. Following the game, the England captain shared his optimism with ITV Sport, stating, “I think it’s as good as we’ve ever had. When you look at our starting eleven and the players available from the bench, we’re heading into the tournament as one of the favorites. That has been the case for the last few tournaments, and we’ve made significant progress together with the new coach. We anticipate a big tournament in 2026.”

Arsenal’s star defender Gabriel also faced injury troubles, as he was substituted due to a groin issue while playing for Brazil in an international friendly against Senegal. The incident occurred during the second half at the Emirates Stadium, leaving the player visibly frustrated.

Brazil’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, expressed regret over Gabriel’s injury, stating, “I don’t know the extent of the problem; he had an issue with his adductor, and the medical staff will evaluate him tomorrow. We are truly sorry for this and disappointed. Injuries are unfortunate, and I hope he recovers quickly.”

Napoli’s Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa also faced a setback during the international break, suffering a hamstring injury during a training session with Cameroon ahead of their World Cup qualifiers.

In response to the increasing number of injuries sustained during international matches, Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, criticized FIFA and UEFA. He stated to Motore Italia, “I loaned Rrahmani, and he returned in a state of disrepair; Anguissa is also in a bad way. This situation cannot continue. During the season, we should be able to operate without interruptions. We need fewer teams and fewer matches.

“Players earn their salaries from clubs, and clubs should have the autonomy to decide whether to release them for national duty. If a player is injured while playing for their country, there should be a mechanism in place for reopening the transfer window for compensation. It seems FIFA and UEFA are indifferent to the plight of national leagues.”