adminFrance goalkeeper Steve Mandanda has confirmed he will miss the 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil™ after suffering a neck injury in Marseille’s final match of the French Ligue 1 season. The 27-year-old collided with Guingamp striker Mustapha Yatabare during the first half of an eventual 1-0 victory for Marseille at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday.
Marseille announced Mandanda had suffered a cracked vertebra, immediately putting his World Cup place in jeopardy, and Mandanda used his Twitter account to confirm the news on Sunday. “It is with sadness that I announce that unfortunately I will not be able to keep my place in the World Cup squad,” he wrote.
“I wish the team of France a World Cup full of success.”
Mandanda had been named alongside goalkeepers Hugo Lloris of Tottenham Hotspur and Bastia’s Mickael Landreau in France’s 23-man squad for the Brazil finals, with Stephane Ruffier of Saint-Etienne now expected to be called up from the reserve list. — fifa.com
derick.khumalo