Colombia faces huge blow as forward Jhon Córdoba has been ruled out due to injury
He sustained the injury early in the match against Ghana; while sprinting, he suddenly clutched his leg and sat down, leaving the field within two minutes
XtraTime Newsdesk: Colombia has suffered a major blow ahead of their World Cup quarterfinal match. Experienced forward Jhon Córdoba has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to an injury. He sustained the injury early in the match against Ghana; while sprinting, he suddenly clutched his leg and sat down, leaving the field within two minutes. Subsequent MRI scans revealed a muscle tear. Such injuries require at least four weeks to heal, meaning there is no possibility of him playing further in this World Cup.
Córdoba had been carrying an injury prior to this; he was dealing with a hamstring issue before the World Cup began, which caused him to miss two warm-up matches and the opening game of the tournament. He did, however, play against Congo and Portugal. Now, his World Cup campaign has come to an end.
Colombia cannot bring in a replacement player for Córdoba. According to FIFA regulations, player replacements due to injury are only permitted up to 24 hours before the first match—though the rule is more flexible regarding goalkeepers. Consequently, Colombia must complete the rest of the World Cup with their remaining 25-man squad.
Jhon Córdoba is a key player for the team and their primary goal-scorer. His absence leaves Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo facing a significant challenge for the crucial matches ahead.
