Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Xavi Simons will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a serious knee injury in the club’s 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 23-year-old was injured after a collision with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno. He initially tried to continue playing but later went down and had to be carried off on a stretcher in the second half.
Tottenham later confirmed that Simons has torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.
“We can confirm that Xavi Simons has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee,” the club said. “Xavi will undergo surgery in the coming weeks and, following that, will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.”
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Simons shared his frustration in an emotional message on Instagram.
“They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way,” he wrote. “My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it. Honestly, I’m heartbroken.”
“All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me… along with the World Cup.”
The Netherlands international has 34 caps and was expected to be a key part of Ronald Koeman’s squad for the tournament.
His injury is also a setback for Tottenham, who are fighting to avoid relegation in the Premier League. Spurs sit 18th with four games left.
Simons joined Spurs from RB Leipzig for £52m last summer and has made 28 league appearances this season, scoring two goals and providing five assists.