Top 10 players going to the World Cup 2022 despite being injured

Playing through pain is one of the many things some do to get the opportunity of donning the national jersey in the quadrennial event.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup begins on November 20 in Qatar. This will be the first winter edition in the history of the competition. However, there are already some players that won't participate due to their injuries in the past weeks. Players like Christopher Nkunku, Paul Pogba, Reece James and Diogo Jota are missing the quadrennial mega event.

But some players have decided to either play through the pain or have the faith in getting back to the fitness levels before the games begin. Players have chosen to represent their country in the World Cup despite being injured. Let's see who are the players going to the World Cup even though they are injured.

10. Memphis Depay

The Netherlands head into Qatar World Cup 2022 having been drawn in Group A, alongside hosts Qatar, Senegal, and Ecuador. And they will certainly fancy their chances of progressing to the knockout rounds.

This has not been the best of seasons for Depay after being put on transfer listed by Barcelona. The Dutchman has had it difficult with injuries and lack of recognition in the first team. Depay has not played since limping off against Poland during the Netherlands’ Nations League match on Sept. 22 and has played less than 150 minutes for Barcelona this season. 

Louis van Gaal has still decided to select Depay for the Qatar World Cup.

9. Kavin Philips

Kavin Philips has been out since surgery on a shoulder injury in September but is set to feature in City’s Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea. Phillips played 40 mins in the Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea on Wednesday night in his return to action but that only takes his total minutes on the pitch this season to 54

And after seven weeks on the sidelines following shoulder surgery, he has been out for seven weeks. But he had barely played for City before that anyway: he has three official appearances, two of them coming after he came on in the last minute.

But Gareth Southgate has shown faith in him after he was named in the England World Cup squad despite hardly playing this season.

8. Richarlison

Brazil is the only team in the world that has participated in every edition of the World Cup since the inaugural edition was played in 1930.

Tite's side will play their first FIFA World Cup 2022 squad in Qatar on 24 November. Brazil will face stiff competition from European qualifying group winners Serbia and Switzerland, as well as Cameroon.

The Brazilian became a doubt after he suffered a calf injury playing for Tottenham against his former side Everton in October, limping off the pitch early in the second half. Still, Tite named Richarlison in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad making him one of the injured players going to the event.

7. Heung-Min Son

Son Heung-Min has been included in South Korea's 26-man squad for this month's FIFA World Cup in Qatar despite suffering a fractured eye socket playing for Tottenham in the Champions League earlier this month.

South Korea’s head coach Paulo Bento included Son in his squad after the 30-year-old declared himself fit to feature in the world cup. South Korea will be making its 10th consecutive appearance at the World Cup finals.

Son may need to wear a protective mask if he is to play any part in Qatar World Cup. South Korea will also face Ghana and Bento's native Portugal in Group H.

6. Kyle Walker

Walker has not played any football since he had surgery on his groin following an injury, he sustained in City’s 6-3 thrashing of Manchester United on October 2. Walker went through groin surgery last month. He is also believed to have a good chance of being picked by Southgate.

England has depended on Walker for his experience and speed, who can play at right-back and as a right centre-back in three at a back-formation.

Southgate named his final squad for this month’s tournament and elected to include 32-year-old Walker, despite his recent injury problems.

5. Angel Di Maria

Argentina is on a formidable run of 35 matches unbeaten and won the Copa America last year, defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. They have not won the World Cup since the late Diego Maradona led them to victory in 1986.

The two-time champions Argentina begins their World Cup campaign in Group C against Saudi Arabia on November 22 before further matches with Mexico and Poland.

Di Maria picked up the injury - a low-grade lesion to the hamstring of the right thigh in their 2-0 defeat against Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League and the 34-year-old underwent scans ruling him out for around three weeks. But Scaloni has decided to bring him despite not playing in almost a month.

4. Raphaël Varane

Varane, 29, left the pitch in agony after suffering a leg injury in Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Chelsea on 22 Oct. France begins their title defence on 22 November against Australia in Group D, which also includes Denmark and Tunisia.

Manchester United's Raphael Varane has been included in defending champions France's World Cup squad even though he is still recovering from a leg injury. Varane has been named as part of France's 25-man team. And this will be his third World Cup after he also competed in 2014 and 2018.

He played every minute in Russia, scoring in the quarter-final win over Uruguay before going on to beat Belgium in the semis and then Croatia in the final to become world champions for the second time in the country’s history.

3. Romelu Lukaku

After falling out of favour at Chelsea, Lukaku returned on a loan deal to Inter in the summer. But the forward has been limited to only three starts during his second stint in Italy.

Lukaku has played just two times for Inter since the end of August because of a hamstring injury. He returned briefly in October but suffered the injury. Lukaku is not expected to be fully fit by December. But there is hope from the Belgium manager Martinez that it may be sooner.

Lukaku is Belgium's all-time top goal scorer with 68 goals in 102 appearances. He has been named to the squad by Roberto Martinez, the coach needs to make sure that Lukaku can play. If not, Lukaku can be replaced with someone from the standby list. The team has the option to replace an injured up to 24 hours before the tournament begins.

2. Paulo Dybala

Paulo Dybala has banged in seven goals in 11 games since joining Roma in the summer on a free transfer. His career has been revitalized since moving to AS Roma this season, with Jose Mourinho finally able to get the best football out of the Argentine which had disappeared in his final days at Juventus.

Dybala scored a 48th-minute penalty which was the winning goal against Lecce on October 9, as Roma earned all three points via a 2-1 scoreline. But Dybala immediately felt discomfort in his quad. Italian and Argentine media confirmed that Dybala had suffered a left quadriceps injury, a tear of the rectus femoris — keeping him out of action for four to eight weeks.

The first match for Argentina comes on Nov 22 against Saudi Arabia, with games against Mexico and Poland in Group C. The knockout stage begins on December 3, and it's unclear what Scaloni will do should Dybala be unable to play in the group stage but potentially be available for knockout-stage action.

1. Sadio Mane

One of the most popular injured players who is going to the World Cup in 2022 is Sadio Mane. Mane is a national icon after scoring the winning goal from a spot-kick in a penalty shootout win against Egypt to secure Senegal a first Africa Cup of Nations title last year. The 30-year-old led his country to the Africa Cup of Nations victory.

It was initially feared Mane could miss out on this World Cup when he injured his knee during Bayern's win over Werder Bremen in Bundesliga. Senegal coach Aliou Cisse was willing to take the risk by selecting Mane in his 26 players squad for the World Cup in Qatar, saying the former Liverpool man is vital for Senegal's national team.