Netherlands lose Timber to a groin injury on the eve of the World Cup

The Netherlands have lost Jurrien Timber for the World Cup. The Arsenal defender, troubled by a groin problem for several weeks, has failed to recover in time and the Dutch federation has pulled him out of the squad before a ball has been kicked in North America. Lutsharel Geertruida comes in as his replacement.

A blow the Dutch had been bracing for

Timber’s withdrawal was not a complete surprise. The 24-year-old had been carrying the injury for some time and was still named in the initial travelling party that flew out to New York, with the staff hoping he would come good. He did not, and rather than gamble on a player short of full fitness in a tournament this long, the Netherlands decided to release him and bring in cover.

It is a real loss. Timber can play across the back line and had been one of the more dependable names in the Dutch setup, the sort of defender a coach would rather not be replacing on the eve of the tournament.

Geertruida gets the late call

Lutsharel Geertruida, who had been on the standby list, takes the spot. The Sunderland defender is a sensible pick precisely because he does not lock the squad into one shape. He can fill in at right-back or step inside to the centre of defence, which gives the coaching staff options rather than a like-for-like swap that only covers one role.

How the replacement rule works

FIFA’s rules for this World Cup let teams replace an outfield player who picks up a serious injury or illness, provided the change is made no later than 24 hours before their opening match. Both the team doctor and a FIFA medical officer have to agree the problem is bad enough to rule the player out. Goalkeepers are treated more leniently and can be replaced at any stage of the tournament. Once a team has played its first game, though, the squad is effectively locked.

That window is why the Netherlands could act now without penalty, and why other squads have been quietly making changes of their own in the days since the June 1 submission deadline.

Not the only one

Timber is the highest-profile casualty so far, but he is not alone. Several nations have been forced into late reshuffles after the initial squads were locked in, the usual fitness scramble that comes with cramming a major tournament onto the back of a long club season. With the World Cup opening on June 11, the teams still tinkering are running out of time to get their final 26 settled.

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