Mar 30, 2026, 04:34 PM
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Uruguay defender Joaquín Piquerez's participation in this summer's World Cup is in doubt after he sustained an ankle injury from a challenge with Noni Madueke at Wembley on Friday.
Early in the first-half of Uruguay's draw with England, Piquerez suffered a ligament rupture in his right ankle from a mundane-looking collision with Madueke, who himself went off injured later in the game.
He was substituted immediately after and left the field on a stretcher.
Sources have told ESPN that the injury has dealt a huge blow to, but not ruled out Piquerez's chances of going to the World Cup this summer. He is set to undergo surgery in the coming days at his club, Palmeiras.
Joaquín Piquerez suffered a serious injury in Uruguay's draw with England. Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
His progress will be monitored by the medical team of the AUF (Uruguayan Football Association).
Madueke also came off injured in the game with a problem that could yet be more serious than first feared.
"I'm worried, of course, because I think he was a difference-maker today," Tuchel said of Madueke's injury.
"[I'm] very sad and upset and hopefully it's not a big injury."
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Information from ESPN Brasil contributed to this report.