The Netherlands have suffered a significant setback ahead of the FIFA World Cup after defender Jurrien Timber was ruled out of the tournament due to a groin injury.

Timber, 24, has been struggling with the issue since mid-March and has not recovered sufficiently to participate in the competition, according to the Royal Dutch Football Association.

The defender had recently returned to action, making his first appearance in more than two months when he came off the bench during the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest on 30 May. He entered the match in the 66th minute against Paris Saint-Germain, marking his first appearance since a victory over Everton on 14 March.

Before the Champions League final, Mikel Arteta had indicated that Timber was fit enough to be involved.

However, after further medical assessment with the Dutch national team, officials concluded that the defender would not be able to take part in the World Cup safely.

The KNVB said Timber had “not recovered sufficiently” to compete in the tournament in a medically responsible manner.

“In consultation with the medical staff, it has therefore been decided that Timber will leave the national team’s pre-camp in New York after the friendly game against Uzbekistan,” the federation said in a statement.

Timber has been an important member of the Dutch squad since making his international debut in June 2021 and has earned 23 caps for the national team.

To replace him, Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has called up defender Lutsharel Geertruida. The 25-year-old spent last season on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig.

The Dutch will begin their World Cup campaign against Japan on 14 June before facing Sweden and Tunisia in the remaining Group F fixtures.

Timber’s absence is a major blow for the Oranje, who had hoped the versatile defender would play a key role in their bid for World Cup success.

Christian Eriksen is recovering well and remains in good spirits after collapsing during Denmark’s international match against Ukraine, according to the team’s doctor.

The match in Odense was halted in the 65th minute after Eriksen suddenly collapsed on the pitch. Play was subsequently abandoned, although the 34-year-old was able to leave the field on foot after regaining consciousness.

Team doctor Morten Boesen provided a positive update on Monday, saying he had spoken with Eriksen and that the midfielder was recovering comfortably with his family.

“I spoke with Christian this morning, and he is doing well. He is with his family and in good spirits,” Boesen said.

“The expectation is that he will be discharged soon and can return home.”

Eriksen has been playing with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s match against Finland at UEFA Euro 2020 in 2021.

The device, a specialized heart monitor and defibrillator, was fitted following the life-threatening incident and enabled Eriksen to resume his professional career eight months later with Brentford before subsequent spells with Manchester United and German side VfL Wolfsburg.

Boesen revealed that the ICD activated correctly during Sunday’s incident, saying the device “responded as it should.”

An ICD continuously monitors a person’s heart rhythm and can automatically deliver treatment if it detects a dangerous abnormal heartbeat that could lead to cardiac arrest.

According to sports cardiologist Aneil Malhotra, the device can rapidly identify life-threatening rhythms and administer an electric shock when necessary to restore a normal heartbeat, significantly reducing response times during emergencies.

Eriksen’s original collapse at Euro 2020 became one of football’s most dramatic medical emergencies and sparked widespread discussions about cardiac screening and player safety.

Several other footballers have experienced serious heart-related incidents in recent decades. Former Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest during a match in 2012 and later retired on medical advice. Marc-Vivien Foe tragically died after collapsing during a match in 2003.

The expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup format brings more teams, more drama, and more opportunities for surprises. With 48 nations competing across 12 groups, the top two teams from each group will qualify automatically for the Round of 32, while the eight best third-placed teams will also advance.

After looking at the groups, current squad strength, coaching quality, tournament experience, and recent form, here are my predictions for who will advance from each group.

Group A

1st: Mexico
2nd: South Korea

Mexico’s experience and home continent advantage should be enough to secure top spot. South Korea has consistently proven difficult to eliminate from major tournaments and should finish ahead of Czechia and South Africa.

Group B

1st: Switzerland
2nd: Canada

Switzerland remains one of the most organized teams in international football. Canada has enough quality and home support to edge out Bosnia and Qatar.

Group C

1st: Brazil
2nd: Morocco

Brazil should comfortably top the group. Morocco’s impressive performances in recent tournaments make them favorites for second place ahead of Scotland and Haiti.

Group D

1st: USA
2nd: Türkiye

Although I do not see the USA making a deep tournament run, I expect them to win this group. Türkiye has enough talent to finish second ahead of Paraguay and Australia.

Group E

1st: Germany
2nd: Ecuador

Germany should have little trouble finishing first. Ecuador’s athleticism and tournament discipline should see them narrowly edge Ivory Coast.

Group F

1st: Netherlands
2nd: Japan

One of the most exciting groups in the tournament. Japan continues to improve with every World Cup and should finish ahead of Sweden and Tunisia.

Group G

1st: Belgium
2nd: Egypt

Belgium’s golden generation may be aging, but they still possess enough quality to win the group. Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, should take second.

Group H

1st: Spain
2nd: Uruguay

This could be one of the strongest groups in the competition. Spain’s technical quality gives them the edge, while Uruguay’s tournament pedigree should carry them through.

Group I

1st: France
2nd: Senegal

France remains one of the favorites to win the tournament. Senegal has enough quality and athleticism to finish ahead of Norway and Iraq.

Group J

1st: Argentina
2nd: Austria

Argentina’s experience should be enough to secure first place. Austria could quietly become one of the tournament’s surprise packages.

Group K

1st: Portugal
2nd: Colombia

This is one of the toughest groups to predict. Portugal’s quality and motivation should see them finish first, while Colombia narrowly edges DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

Group L

1st: England
2nd: Croatia

England’s talent depth should be enough to top the group. Croatia’s experience in major tournaments gives them the advantage over Ghana and Panama.

Predicted Best Third-Placed Teams

The eight third-placed teams I believe will advance are:

1. Morocco (Group C)
2. Paraguay (Group D)
3. Ivory Coast (Group E)
4. Sweden (Group F)
5. Uruguay (Group H)
6. Norway (Group I)
7. Algeria (Group J)
8. Ghana (Group L)

My Predicted Round of 32 Teams

Group Winners

• Mexico
• Switzerland
• Brazil
• USA
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Belgium
• Spain
• France
• Argentina
• Portugal
• England

Group Runners-Up

• South Korea
• Canada
• Morocco
• Türkiye
• Ecuador
• Japan
• Egypt
• Uruguay
• Senegal
• Austria
• Colombia
• Croatia

Best Third-Placed Teams

• Paraguay
• Ivory Coast
• Sweden
• Norway
• Algeria
• Ghana
• DR Congo
• South Africa

Final Thoughts

Every World Cup prediction looks brilliant until the first upset arrives.

However, if I had to pick the teams most likely to dominate the group stage, I would point to Brazil, Portugal, France, Spain, Germany, Argentina, and England.

As for the eventual winner, I still believe the trophy will be lifted by either Portugal or Brazil.

Feel free to save this article and revisit it when the tournament begins. Football has a habit of making experts look foolish, but that’s exactly why we love it.