Franck Ribery has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a persistent lower back injury.
He had been complaining of lower back pain for some weeks now, but had been selected in the 23 man squad based on the belief that he would have been able to shake off the injury and contribute effectively to France’s World Cup campaign.
Ribery, 31, had been given time till Friday to prove his fitness to the team doctors, and unfortunately suffered some sort of a recurrence of his back injury on Friday.
“An MRI scan confirmed the sudden worsening of his condition and led the medical staff to conclude his inability to train and play,” said a France Football Federation statement.
Coach Didier Deschamps had hoped Ribery would play a part in the friendly match against Jamaica on Sunday, but the Bayern Munich winger was replaced on Friday by Montpellier winger Remy Cabella.
Apart from Ribery, attacking midfielder Clement Grenier has also been ruled out with a recurrence of a groin injury
The 23-year-old Grenier tore his right groin in training on Thursday and has been replaced by Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin.