Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has been ruled out of the 2026 World Cup after failing to recover sufficiently from the groin injury that disrupted the closing months of his season.
The Netherlands confirmed on Monday that the 24-year-old will leave their training camp in New York after their final warm-up match against Uzbekistan and will play no part in the tournament.
Timber had been included in Ronald Koeman’s World Cup squad despite concerns over his fitness, but Dutch medical staff have now determined that participation would carry too much risk.
A statement from the Netherlands national team explained the decision.
“The 24-year-old defender has not recovered sufficiently from a groin injury to take part in the World Cup in a medically responsible manner,” the KNVB said.
“In consultation with the medical staff, it has therefore been decided that Timber will leave the national team’s pre-camp in New York after the game against Uzbekistan.”
The news comes as a major disappointment for the Arsenal defender, who worked tirelessly to return before the end of the club season after suffering the injury in March.
Timber spent around 10 weeks on the sidelines and missed a significant part of Arsenal’s run-in during their Premier League title-winning campaign.
His only appearance after the injury came in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, where he was introduced from the bench and played through extra time and the penalty shootout.
That cameo had raised hopes that he would be fit enough to represent the Netherlands this summer.
However, both player and country have now opted against taking any unnecessary risks with a problem that has clearly not fully healed.
The focus will now shift towards Timber’s recovery ahead of the new campaign.
Arsenal’s medical staff are expected to assess whether rest and rehabilitation will be sufficient or if further treatment is required before pre-season begins.
Timber enjoyed an excellent second season in North London despite the injury setback.
The versatile defender made 44 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing seven assists as Arsenal won their first Premier League title in 22 years and reached both the Champions League and League Cup finals.
His absence is a significant blow for the Netherlands, who begin their World Cup campaign against Japan on June 14 before facing Sweden and Tunisia in the group stage.
Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida has been called up as Timber’s replacement.
For Arsenal, the priority will now be ensuring that one of Mikel Arteta’s most important defenders returns fully fit and ready for the start of the 2026-27 season.