NEW YORK (DA) — Jurriën Timber will miss the World Cup after the Arsenal defender was deemed insufficiently recovered from a groin injury to safely take part in the tournament.
Timber, 24, will leave the Netherlands pre-camp in New York after the national team’s friendly against Uzbekistan.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman called up Lutsharel Geertruida of Sunderland as Timber’s replacement, bringing the Dutch squad back to 26 players for its base camp in Kansas.
Both Timber and Geertruida have Curaçao heritage.
The Netherlands plays Uzbekistan at 2:45 p.m. local time Tuesday at Icahn Stadium in New York in its final friendly before the World Cup. The Dutch open the tournament Sunday, June 14, against Japan.