The run-up to the 2026 World Cup is shaping as much around rehabilitation as selection. Across Europe several of the game’s most influential internationals are carrying injuries that have already curtailed club seasons or left their participation in doubt.

Lamine Yamal’s hamstring problem has ruled him out for the remainder of the season with Barcelona, though the club have insisted he should feature at the World Cup. Estêvão and Arda Güler have also suffered hamstring injuries and been ruled out for the rest of their club campaigns at Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively. Reports say Güler is still set to appear at his first World Cup.

Some long-serving figures have been struck down too. Luka Modrić suffered a fractured cheekbone in AC Milan’s match with Juventus and will miss the rest of the Serie A season. Cristian Romero suffered a season-ending knee injury in Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge of Tottenham and was in tears at the time; his availability for the tournament remains unclear.

Mohamed Salah’s club season ended with an unflattering final touch for Liverpool, and his previous World Cup involvement in Russia was affected by fitness concerns after a dislocated shoulder in the Champions League final. Éder Militão has again gone down with a hamstring issue and has been ruled out for the rest of the club season alongside Güler, with recent reports suggesting his injury may be worse than first feared.

Mikel Merino has been absent since undergoing surgery on a fractured foot in January but is expected to be considered by Spain. Dejan Kulusevski is still working his way back after nearly a year out and admitted: “I haven’t played in a year. I know what the chances are,” and added, “But if there is one person on the planet who can do this, I would bet on myself. And we are not just going there to participate. Sweden will aim to be one of the best.”

Other concerns include Matthijs de Ligt, sidelined since November with a back problem but back on the grass at Carrington, Reece James with a fresh hamstring setback, Mohammed Kudus whose comeback was ended by a new quad issue and Joško Gvardiol after a broken leg in the new year. For all of them the coming weeks will determine whether they travel in June.

Bruno Fernandes has revealed that a private conversation with his wife played a decisive role in his choice to stay at Manchester United last summer. Faced with significant offers from Saudi clubs, the United captain reflected on priorities with his family and concluded that he still had more to offer the club.

“I stayed because I thought I still had something that I can give back to the club,” Fernandes told The Wayne Rooney Show .

He described the financial temptation succinctly and praised his wife’s pragmatic view. “Obviously the Saudi situation, with the money … there was a lot. The good thing I have in my family is that my wife is pretty down to earth like me.

“We’re very aware that we don’t want to be the richest person in the world. We just want to be the ones that have achieved the dreams they had and live a good life with their kids and trying to be as successful as possible.

“The words of my wife were like, ‘have you achieved your dreams? Have you achieved everything you wanted?’

“And that small thing she said made me understand that she’s on the same page as me. Let’s keep trying and see where this takes me.”

Fernandes added: “I didn’t want to leave the club at the point where we were struggling.” Earlier this season, while United were toiling under Ruben Amorim, there was widespread speculation the club might cash in on its marquee player to fund a rebuild. Fernandes has long expressed a desire to remain, though he has accepted he would leave if the club asked him to.

A change of fortunes under Michael Carrick has seen United rise to third in the Premier League table and the sense that the club is no longer in freefall has strengthened. Fernandes made clear his ambitions remain high: “I want to win the Premier League,” he said. “I want to win the Champions League. I never hide from that.”

Still, the long-term outcome will depend on United’s transfer strategy and whether selling Fernandes becomes the most attractive means to finance the squad’s reconstruction.

Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday has widened a gap that, with only 12 points remaining for the Blues, looks increasingly insurmountable. Brighton’s win moved them up to sixth and left Chelsea rooted lower in the table, while Manchester United and Liverpool stand to benefit in the battle for Champions League qualification.

The standings make the situation clear. Manchester United and Aston Villa sit on 58 points with a possible maximum of 73. Liverpool are on 55 with a possible 70. Brighton have 50 and can reach 62. Chelsea and Brentford are level on 48; Chelsea can reach a maximum of 60 while Brentford can reach 63. Brighton have played one game more than Liverpool and, like Chelsea, can only collect a maximum of 12 additional points.

Both Manchester United and Liverpool have 15 points remaining to play for. One of those fixtures is against each other on May 3. To finish above Brighton and Brentford and guarantee Champions League qualification for 2026–27, Manchester United must secure two more wins and Liverpool must secure three.

Brentford now pose a greater threat to the Champions League spots than many expected after losing their influential manager last summer. They sit level with Chelsea but retain five matches remaining.

Chelsea’s immediate challenge is to arrest what the club faces as a 114-year low five-game losing slump and to secure any European football for next season. Sixth place currently equates to Europa League qualification and seventh is good enough for the Conference League, which Chelsea won last season. If Manchester City win the FA Cup, an extra Europa League place will be allocated via the final Premier League standings; in that case seventh would be enough for the Europa League and the Conference League spot would drop to whoever finishes eighth.

Chelsea could also obtain the FA Cup’s Europa League spot by winning the competition. They face Leeds United in the semifinals at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.