WORLD CUP 2010: Didier Drogba set to miss finals after breaking arm in Ivory Coast's friendly with Japan. Didier Drogba's World Cup dream appeared over on Friday night after he broke his right arm in a warm-up match.
Although the Ivory Coast have refused to rule their star striker out of the finals in South Africa, Drogba has told his team-mate Kolo Toure he does not think he will make it.
The Chelsea centre forward was left in agony after a high challenge by Japan defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka 15 minutes into Ivory Coast’s final warm-up game in Sion, Switzerland, and was rushed to hospital. His team-mates went on to defeat Japan 2-0.
Agony: Drogba appeared to be in some pain straight after the tackle from Tanaka
Toure revealed Drogba, 32, knew immediately the seriousness of his injury, saying: ‘For him, he said, the World Cup is finished.’
Manchester City defender Toure added: ‘We can just see on his face that he was sad and when he is like that you can’t ask more. It is difficult for us because he is such an important player.’
Drogba is the African Footballer of the Year so his absence from the first finals to be held on the continent will be a huge blow.
With that in mind, Ivory Coast coach Sven Goran Eriksson refused to rule out his captain, who has scored 45 goals in 70 appearances for his country.
Eriksson said: ‘We are not sure yet, we think it’s still a possibility he can play. Of course I am worried, he’s our captain and one of the best players in the world. It’s an elbow injury and he was in a lot of pain. How bad it is, I don’t know.’
Ouch: Striker Drogba feels the full force of Tanaka's challenge
Early exit: Drogba is helped off after picking himself up off the floor
Toure said the players were hoping for a quick recovery and the Ivory Coast will wait for further medical tests before making a decision.
They kick off their Group G campaign against Portugal in Port Elizabeth in 10 days and FIFA rules stipulate that a player can be replaced because of injury up to 24 hours before a team’s first match.
An Ivory Coast spokesman said: ‘It depends on the verdict of the medical team but he is definitely not out.’
Japan defender Tanaka said he had no intention to hurt Drogba.
‘God and everybody in the stadium saw it was a normal challenge,’ said Tanaka, who scored at both ends in last week’s 2-1 defeat by England in Austria.
‘I do hope he gets better in time to play in the World Cup.’
Two minutes before the challenge, Drogba’s free-kick was deflected into his own net by Tanaka to put Ivory Coast ahead. Toure made it two with a close-range shot late on.
If Drogba fails to recover he will be the third star player from Chelsea’s ranks to miss the finals, with Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and Germany captain Michael Ballack ruled out last month. ( dailymail.co.uk )
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