BEN CHILWELL’S World Cup dream with England looks to be over after the left-back appeared to pull his hamstring while in action for Chelsea.
The 25-year-old pulled up and collapsed to the floor in injury-time at the end of Chelsea’s dead-rubber 2-1 win against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
The Three Lions star clutched his left leg and immediately called for the physios to tend to him with just minutes left of the game.
Chilwell then left Stamford Bridge on crutches.
He now appears to be a major doubt for the World Cup – with England’s first game less than three weeks away.
Chilwell limped off the pitch at full-time with the aid of two of Chelsea’s medical staff.
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Blues boss Graham Potter admitted afterwards that it doesn’t look good for Chilwell.
Potter said on the left-back: “[It’s] not great. When he pulls up like that it’s a concern. We need to scan it but it’s not positive at the moment.
“It’s a blow for us on an otherwise positive evening. To see him pull up like that isn’t a great sight, so fingers crossed when we get it scanned it isn’t as bad [as it looked]. Clearly we’re disappointed.”
Potter revealed Chilwell was “disappointed and upset” after speaking to the left-back in the dressing room.
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When asked if Chilwell was a doubt for the World Cup, Potter admitted: “You’d have to say so, yeah. I don’t want to add any more than that but when a player pulls up like he did and he felt it, it’s never positive.”
He added: “I spoke to him briefly. He just felt something as he was setting off. Obviously he’s disappointed and upset.”
Chilwell had been expected to challenge for the starting left-back spot in Qatar with Manchester United ace Luke Shaw.
But as he was helped from the pitch he appeared to say the word “popped” to Mason Mount, who then put his hand on his face.
England boss Gareth Southgate is set to name his squad for the World Cup on November 14, with the tournament getting underway on November 20.
Ex-Leicester star Chilwell ruptured his ACL last November in the Champions League, and spent much of last season out injured.
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He tried to return without undergoing surgery but suffered a setback during a training session on Christmas Day and then had an operation.
Chilwell only returned to training in May and skipped his summer holidays to ensure he would be ready for an important season for club and country.
He has only recently reclaimed his place in Chelsea’s starting XI ahead of new signing Marc Cucurella.
But now he has suffered a fresh injury blow.
Chelsea legend Joe Cole said on BT Sport after the match: “Yeah horrible sight for Ben I feel his pain. I had problems at the back end of my career and it is heartbreaking.
“As soon as it happens it’s a shooting pain this close to the World Cup the best you can hope for is two or three weeks before you can get back on the grass and with a World Cup selection it’s really tough.
“I really feel for him, again in a game where Chelsea were just seeing it out he played a strong team.
“Overall a win three points, a win top of the group for the club, but you do feel for Ben.”
Meanwhile ex-England manager Glenn Hoddle said: “Sometimes with a hamstring you get a warning sign. It goes into a little contraction and that’s when you put your hand up.
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“But that one there just went. His face went you could see. He just turns the ball over on the outside and he grimaced, he was in real pain. That one looks like a nasty one.”
Hoddle added: “It’s such a blow. [I’m] gutted for him.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
