France and Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has been ruled out of the World Cup in Qatar after having an operation on a hamstring injury.
Kante, 31, suffered the injury during Chelsea’s 2-2 home draw with Tottenham on 14 August.
In a statement, the club said that the procedure was a success but Kante is expected to be sidelined for four months.
It added that the decision to operate to repair the damage was “mutual”.
“The midfielder visited a specialist with the club’s medical department to explore the options for his rehabilitation approach,” the statement said.
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Blues boss Graham Potter said before his side played Aston Villa last weekend that Kante had faced a setback in his bid to regain fitness.
Kante, who won the World Cup with France in 2018, joins a growing list of Premier League players who have suffered serious injuries in the build-up to the showpiece tournament which starts in November.
His Chelsea team-mate Reece James is a major doubt for England after picking up a knee injury against AC Milan in the Champion League this month.
On Tuesday, Liverpool forward Diogo Jota’s hopes of representing Portugal were ended after Jurgen Klopp confirmed the 25-year-old will face a “long time” out because of a calf injury.
