Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda has announced that he was forced to withdrawal from France’s World Cup squad due to a neck problem.
The highly rated shot-stopper suffered a neck injury on the final day of league season, cracking a vertebra in the process.
And despite Marseille medical team hinting the injury was not as serious as first feared, Mandanda had to pull out of international duty.
“It is with sadness that I announce that unfortunately I will not be able to keep my place in the World Cup squad,” Mandanda wrote on Twitter. “I wish the team of France a World Cup full of success.”
Saint Etienne star Stephane Ruffier is widely tipped to replace Mandanda in the World Cup squad, while Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris will remain the number one choice.
Having been placed alongside Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras, France have been made 1.80 (4/5) favourites to win Group E.
Didier Deschamps served up several surprised when naming his provisional 30-man squad for the tournament finals, leaving Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Adil Rami out and placing Lyon captain Maxime Gonalons on the reserve list.
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