He was seriously injured
Former Klopp protégé misses World Cup
12/23/2025 – 3:31 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
On Sunday, Takumi Minamino had to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher. Two days later it is clear: the Japanese has been seriously injured and will probably have to bury his World Cup dream.
Takumi Minamino will most likely miss Japan’s World Cup this summer. The AS Monaco midfielder tore a cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Minamino suffered the injury on Sunday in the French Cup game against Auxerre (2-1). He had to be replaced after just 36 minutes. As the club announced on Monday, medical examinations revealed “a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament.”
Returning from such injuries typically takes six to nine months. The World Cup begins for Japan on June 14th with a game against the Netherlands at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This will be followed by games against Tunisia and a European playoff winner – Poland or Ukraine are possible.
Minamino, who turns 31 in January, played a key role in Japan’s successful qualification for the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The former Liverpool FC professional, where he played under Jürgen Klopp between 2020 and 2022, scored four goals in qualifying and has a total of 73 international matches and 26 goals. He played three times at the tournament in Qatar in 2022.
Minamino will also be out for his club in the long term. He will miss Monaco’s Champions League games at Real Madrid and against Juventus in January. After six matchdays, the club is in 19th place in the league phase with 36 teams. Monaco is currently in ninth place in the French league.