World Cup woes: Injuries mount with two weeks to go

A host of players have already been ruled out of the upcoming World Cup due to injury.

With the Qatar tournament taking place mid-season, some short-term injuries can rule out players compared to when taking place in the summer after league campaigns.

The World Cup begins in 17 days, starting on 20 November before a finish on 18 December.

The following players have been ruled out:

Paul Pogba (France)

Pogba injured his knee in pre-season and went under the knife in September to repair a damaged meniscus. The 29-year-old resumed training but on 31 October his agent said the midfielder would not return to action for Juventus nor the world champions before the World Cup.

N'golo Kante (France)

The Chelsea midfielder suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury that has restricted him to two appearances this season. He will be sidelined for four months after undergoing surgery.

Reece James (England)

The 22-year-old right back injured his knee in Chelsea's Champions League clash against AC Milan in October and looks certain to miss the tournament in Qatar after being ruled out for eight weeks.

Diogo Jota (Portugal)

The Liverpool forward will miss the tournament due to a calf injury sustained in their win over Manchester City but the Premier League club's manager Jurgen Klopp said that he would not require surgery.

Alexander Isak (Sweden)

The Newcastle United striker suffered a setback while recovering from a thigh injury and manager Eddie Howe confirmed he will not play again until after the World Cup.

Pedro Neto (Portugal)

The 22-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers winger will undergo surgery on an ankle injury sustained against West Ham United in October.

Boubacar Kamara (France)

The Aston Villa midfielder suffered a knee