Masked World Cup players spotlight soccer's overlooked facial injury risk
BEVERLY HILLS, California, July 11 : When soccer players collide in midair, the toll is not always counted in concussions, torn ligaments or twisted ankles.
Inside Sport News
Masked World Cup players spotlight soccer’s overlooked facial injury risk
CALIFORNIA, When soccer players collide in midair, the toll is not always counted in concussions, torn ligaments or twisted ankles. Sometimes it is a broken nose — a burst of blood, a few minutes of treatment on the touchline, perhaps a protective mask and a swift return to play — that becomes the lasting injury, leaving an athlete struggling to breathe long after the match is over. It is a risk that Dr. Farhad Ardesh, a Beverly Hills facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, says remains one of soccer’s most underestimated. “Sometimes a minor injury on the outside can cause major damage on the inside,” said Ardesh, who has treated professional athletes, including soccer players. “You might have the nose that just looks a little swollen or a little crooked, but the inside of the nose actually has a zigzag pattern or an S-shaped deformity that’s really affecting this player’s breathing.” With several players at the 2026 World Cup competing in protective facial masks after jaw or facial injuries, soccer’s hidden trauma has become increasingly visible. England’s Djed Spence, Austria’s Stefan Posch and Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane have all played with facial protection. Other recent high-profile cases include France’s Kylian Mbappe wearing a mask to protect his broken nose at Euro 2024, and Croatian Josko Gvardiol’s protective mask at the 2022 World Cup. To viewers, the mask may appear to be a badge of toughness. To surgeons such as Ardesh, it is often a sign of the effects of trauma. “The face is very fragile after an injury, whether it’s from trauma like getting hit with an elbow or if it’s from surgery,” said Ardesh. “We want to protect the bone.”
Defeated Djokovic says he wants 'at least one more time' at Wimbledon
LONDON, July 10 : Novak Djokovic left Wimbledon defeated but not disheartened on Friday as Jannik Sinner demolished the Serb in a one-sided semi-final to end his hopes of a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Novak Djokovic out of Wimbledon after straight sets loss to Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner ruthlessly ended Novak Djokovic’s latest bid for Wimbledon glory with a straight-sets victory in the semi-final.
Mbappe leads France to comfortable 2-0 win over Morocco
FOXBOROUGH: France captain Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty but curled in a superb goal on the hour as his side struck twice in six minutes to brush aside Morocco 2-0 on Thursday (Jul 9) and book their spot in the World Cup semi-finals.
France's Kylian Mbappé allays any World Cup injury concern: 'I'm all good' - ESPN
Kylian Mbappé has downplayed concerns over what he described as a «knock on his ankle» during France's 2-0 World Cup quarterfinal win over Morocco on Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts, saying, «I'm all good.»
France make light work of Morocco en-route to World Cup semi-finals
Second-half strikes from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele helped France progress through to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup with a routine 2-0 victory over Morocco in Boston.
Brazil's football system is broken, says Pele's daughter
TORONTO, July 9 : Brazil's football system is broken, with a lack of transparency and accountability in its administration reflected in the national team's performances, Kely Nascimento, activist filmmaker and eldest daughter of former Brazil great Pele, told Reuters in an interview.