Michael Essien ruled out of World Cup after Chelsea and Ghana midfielder loses his fitness fight over injuries
Chelsea and Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has been ruled out of the World Cup
due to injury.
The 27-year-old missed a large part of this season due to knee and ankle injuries and has hardly played any competitive football since December.
Bitter blow: Michael Essien will miss the World Cup with his recovery from injury expected to last until July
National coach Milovan Rajevac had hoped the former Lyon man would be passed fit for the showpiece tournament in South Africa this summer.
But the Ghana Football Association announced he was not expected to be back in action until the end of July.
'An evaluation by a combined team of medical experts from the Ghana Football Association and Chelsea Football Club revealed that Essien will not make full recovery until the end of July,' a statement on the Ghana Football Association website read.
Feeling blue: Essien has been ravaged by injuries all season for Chelsea
'The Ghana Football Association wishes him full recovery and a quick return to football action.'
Essien has been recovering from a knee injury picked up on African Nations Cup duty in Angola in January.
Ghana, who will be making their second appearance at the World Cup finals, are in Group D alongside Germany, Serbia and Australia.
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