Blow to France as Ribery ruled out of World Cup

France’s World Cup chances suffered a severe blow when influential winger Franck Ribery was ruled out with lower back problems on Friday.

Coach Didier Deschamps also said that attacking midfielder Clement Grenier was out of the finals in Brazil with a groin problem as Les Bleus suffered their third injury since the 23-man squad was unveiled. Second-choice goalkeeper Steve Mandanda also pulled out.

‘This morning before the collective training session ... he had to stop, the pain was too strong,’ Deschamps told a news conference.

‘We have made checks in the beginning of the afternoon, checks that confirmed the situation has aggravated and he is on Friday not capable of training for a few weeks, let alone play a game.’

Ribery and Grenier will be replaced in the squad by Morgan Schneiderlin and Remy Cabella.

The replacements have to be validated by world governing body FIFA as they are made after the 23-man squad submission deadline, which was on June 2.

France start their World Cup campaign on June 15 against Honduras in Group E, where they will also meet Ecuador and Switzerland.

Ribery was instrumental in France’s qualifying campaign, scoring five goals and creating several chances for his team mates.

He has been suffering from lower back pains for weeks, playing his last game in the German Cup final on May 17 when he came as a substitute for Bayern Munich but could not finish the match.

Without him, Les Bleus beat Norway 4-0 and drew 1-1 against Paraguay in their two World Cup warm-up games.

Ribery’s spot on the left wing was taken by Real Sociedad’s Antoine Griezmann and Newcatle United forward Loic Remy alternatively.

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Netherlands captain Robin van Persie has declared himself 100 percent fit for the World Cup as the Dutch national side arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Friday for the June 12-July 13 tournament. 

The Manchester United striker was withdrawn at half-time of his country’s final warmup game against Wales in Amsterdam on Wednesday with a groin issue but insisted it was only as a precautionary measure after he felt some discomfort. Van Persie added that he had also fully recovered from the knee injury which kept him out action for two months towards the end of the Premier League season.