Why did Quinten Timber miss Netherlands vs Sweden FIFA World Cup 2026 clash?

Quinten Timber’s brother Jurriën Timber has been ruled out of the Netherlands’ FIFA World Cup campaign due to a groin injury.

Netherlands faced Graham Potter’s Sweden at Houston Stadium in Texas on Saturday, June 20. Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk captained the Dutch side, who played a 2-2 draw against Japan in their opening game.

Meanwhile, former Manchester United defender Victor Lindelöf got the captain’s armband for Sweden, as he’s one of the most experienced players for Blågult. However, while both teams drafted their best playing XI, why did Quinten Timber not play the important game for Oranje?

Why did Quinten Timber miss the Netherlands’ World Cup game?

Marseille defender Quinten Timber missed the Netherlands’ second game of the FIFA World Cup due to a mild concussion. He was ruled out of the match earlier this week, on Thursday.

The former Feyenoord defender suffered the injury after he collided with teammate Frenkie de Jong during the team’s practice on Thursday. Initially, Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners told the media that the incident took place when Quinten Timber tried to chip the ball over the 28-year-old’s head. He said:

“The moment Quinten had the ball, I ran deep. He wanted to chip it to me and then it happened. ⁠It wasn’t a super hard collision, as I understand it, but you do have to be careful”

Later, Dutch boss Ronald Koeman also stated that Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong could also miss the game due to minor issues. However, he was later named in the starting XI against Sweden.

“There was a collision which caused a light concussion, so Quinten will not play this match. After this match, he might be ready. But Frenkie also had minor complaints about his physical condition… let’s see how he will be tomorrow.”

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026 Full Fixtures, Schedule, Results, Match Timings & Where to Watch

Ronald Koeman was also criticised for the injury incident that took place before Oranje’s World Cup clash against Blågult. To which he replied:

“Quinten tripped and this caused an injury for Frenkie. Ihave already explained quite a lot about his injury.”

Timber celebrated his birthday earlier this week, on Wednesday. He featured in the Netherlands’ first game of the tournament against Japan as a substitute. Quinten’s brother, Jurriën Timber, is already out of the tournament due to a groin injury.

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