Soccer

Netherlands to be without Nigel de Jong for the rest of World Cup

29-year-old was forced off nine minutes into the last-16 clash against Mexico with groin injury

Nigel de Jong of the Netherlands leaves the team’s hotel with his wife Winonah in Rio de Janeiro yesterday after being ruled out of the rest of the World Cup because of a groin injury. Photograph: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
Nigel de Jong of the Netherlands leaves the team’s hotel with his wife Winonah in Rio de Janeiro yesterday after being ruled out of the rest of the World Cup because of a groin injury. Photograph: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
Wed Jul 02 2014 - 01:00

The Netherlands will be without Nigel de Jong for the rest of the World Cup through injury.

The 29-year-old was forced off nine minutes into the Oranje’s last-16 clash against Mexico on Sunday with a groin complaint.

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal admitted after the last-gasp 2-1 win that De Jong was a doubt for their quarter-final clash against Costa Rica and the Dutch FA (KNVB) has now confirmed his tournament is over.

A post on its official Twitter account, KNVB, said: “Nigel de Jong has a tear in his groin muscle. He’s probably out for two to four weeks. De Jong continues rehabilitation with #Orange.”

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Even in the best case scenario, given the final is on July 13th, the AC Milan midfielder would almost certainly not have enough time to recover.

Van Gaal described De Jong’s absence from Saturday’s quarter-final as a “big setback” so the full severity of the injury will be an even bigger blow.

“An MRI examination at hospital confirmed that Nigel de Jong is struggling with a tear in his groin muscle,” the KNVB said in a statement. “The 75-times capped international is therefore presumably out for two to four weeks.

‘Nine minutes’

“De Jong, who in last Sunday’s match against Mexico was injured after nine minutes, remains with the team in Brazil to work there on his rehabilitation.”

His absence against Costa Rica and beyond will harm the Netherlands’ chances of reaching a second successive World Cup final. The Oranje have impressed so far in Brazil, but Arjen Robben, speaking before the severity of the injury became clear, admitted De Jong would be a great miss.

“It’s a hard blow for us that Nigel has been injured,” the winger said. “The possible absence of De Jong in the quarter-finals is a heavy loss.

“But our strength is that every player who comes off the bench on to the pitch manages to have a big impact on the match. “The confidence within our team is very big, in spite of any absence.”

Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign striker Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid. The Spain international had long been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and it has now been confirmed that they have met the buy-out clause for the 25-year-old.

Liverpool confirmed yesterday the arrival of England midfielder Adam Lallana from Southampton on a long-term deal. No transfer fee was announced but British it is estimated Liverpool paid around €31m for the 26-year-old, a member of the side who failed to progress to the second round of the World Cup in Brazil.