England rounded off their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign with a win over Albania in Tirana on Sunday evening, though the result was slightly overshadowed with an injury to one player who Everton fans will be more than aware of.
A Harry Kane brace took his tally to eight goals in just eight games in the qualification campaign, with Thomas Tuchel’s side winning all eight of their games in qualification Group K without conceding a single goal.
Although Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford wasn’t involved in this one, instead being replaced by Dean Henderson, fans will have kept an eye on the game to gauge whether the Three Lions’ Premier League stars have enough to win the World Cup next summer.
However, the game was somewhat overshadowed by Armando Broja’s injury late in the second half – and after what looks like yet another serious injury, snubbing the chance to sign him looks to have been the correct move from Toffees bosses.
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Everton once turned down the chance to land Armando Broja permanently
Broja joined Everton on loan at the start of last season, though he arrived with achilles injury issues – and only made his first appearance at the start of December.
The Slough-born Albania forward only then featured in five games, with just one start, before he picked up an ankle injury at the turn of the new year, and he only made a fleeting number of appearances under David Moyes before eventually being dropped after a poor outing in mid-April against Manchester City.
Everton had the option to turn Broja’s loan spell into a permanent one ahead of their move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but opted not to – instead signing Thierno Barry.
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Although the Frenchman hasn’t had a great start to life on Merseyside, he’s hardly injury prone, and has scored goals in recent years for Basel and Villarreal. Broja, by contrast, hasn’t scored a goal in almost two years in club football.
That now appears to be a good move from Toffees chiefs, with Broja once again picking up an injury and the newfound Burnley star will be set for a spell on the sidelines.
Armando Broja injury woes meant Everton looked away from a deal
Broja was a promising striker for Chelsea in his youth days, and a decent loan spell at Southampton made it appear as though he would be a solid Premier League striker for years to come.
However, an ACL injury picked up during the 2022 World Cup break set his progress back, and his loan spells at Fulham and Everton didn’t quite pick up, with further injuries during that time.
Club Appearances Goals
Chelsea 38 3
Southampton 38 9
Fulham 8 0
Everton 11 0
Burnley 7 0
Sean Dyche brought him to the club on loan, but even after David Moyes was appointed, he wasn’t favoured by the Toffees coaching staff.
You simply cannot rely on a player who is as injury prone as Broja, especially when Everton also had to deal with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s unavailability.
Burnley are now feeling the brunt of Broja’s injury woes and with Beto and Barry constantly being available, it proved to be the right move by the Toffees.