Long list of pre-World Cup injuries

Marco Reus added to the depressingly long list of pre-World Cup injuries

                    

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Marco Reus had to be helped off the pitch after turning his ankle in Germany's 6-1 win over Armenia, sparking fears that he would be cruelly denied an appearance at the World Cup. After the match, the German federation posted a message on their Facebook page that started with the words, "We do not have good news."Reus has a partially torn ligament above his left ankle. No decision has been made about whether he will play in Brazil, but it doesn't loo promising.

He now joins a depressingly long list of marquee players who have suffered serious in the lead-up to the tournament, which was probably inevitable for an addition two months of football tacked onto the already long and grueling club season. France's Franck Ribery and Russia captain Roman Shirokov were ruled out earlier in the day. Italy's Riccardo Montolivo, Colombia's Radamel Falcao, Spain's Thiago Alcantara, Holland's Kevin Strootman and Rafael van der Vaart, Germany's Ilkay Gundogan and Holger Badstuber, England's Theo Walcott and Kyle Walker, Costa Rica's Bryan Oviedo and Alvaro Saborio and Mexico's Luis Montes are just a few of the players who have been completely ruled of the World Cup due to injury.

Then there's the players who might still appear, but aren't fully fit. Like Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, Uruguay's Luis Suarez, Germany's Manuel Neuer, Spain's Diego Costa and England's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Of course, no World Cup is immune to major injuries and absences, but the beauty of a tournament like this is that it transcends the involvement of any specific individuals. The absence or hobbled abilities of these players only means chances for new heroes to emerge in the most dramatic of moments.