Matthijs de Ligt will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after finally deciding to undergo surgery.
The Netherlands defender had spent months trying to recover without an operation, but that route did not work.
His latest update confirmed the worst-case outcome for both club and country, with De Ligt now focused on getting healthy again instead of making the tournament.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Matthijs de Ligt confirms World Cup heartbreak after surgery
As Fabrizio Romano shared, De Ligt announced that surgery became unavoidable after a long recovery battle.
“After 6 months of treatment and working hard to get back, surgery was the only option left,” Romano tweeted.
He added, “I’m disappointed I couldn’t help the team the last 6 months and obviously missing out on World Cup, but I’m looking forward to doing everything to get back in front of the fans and feeling better again!”
That statement ended any remaining uncertainty around his World Cup status. De Ligt had been sidelined with a long-standing back injury and had not played for Manchester United since late November.
He had tried rehabilitation and treatment first, but after six months away, the injury still required surgery.
Netherlands defense takes a major Matthijs de Ligt blow
De Ligt’s absence is a significant setback for the Netherlands, especially because he had been trying to work his way back into Ronald Koeman’s plans before the tournament.
The Dutch still have strong defensive options, including Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, Nathan Ake, Stefan de Vrij and Jan Paul van Hecke.
But De Ligt’s experience, physicality, and big-tournament background would have given Koeman another proven option in central defense.
For Manchester United, the injury also closed a frustrating season for a player who had started well before the setback.
De Ligt was voted United’s Player of the Month for November, but his campaign quickly unraveled after the back problem kept him out for the next six months.
The focus now shifts to recovery. De Ligt has accepted that the World Cup is gone, and his next target is returning healthy for club football after surgery.
Read more:
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Carrick updates Man Utd availability of De Ligt and two more key players for Fulham match
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Matthijs de Ligt spots one Arsenal tactic rivals are trying hard to replicate
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Matthijs de Ligt addresses talk on Ruben Amorim’s system after Dutch defensive switch
