Ivory Coast star Hamed Traorè suffers injury blow ahead of 2026 World Cup

Ivory Coast international Hamed Junior Traorè faces another cruel setback in his career after being forced off injured during Marseille’s 2-1 defeat to Nantes in the French Ligue 1.

Traorè left the pitch on a stretcher, signaling the severity of the injury he sustained in the highly competitive clash on Saturday.

He is expected to undergo scans to determine the extent of the injury, but concerns have been raised about his availability for the 2026 World Cup.

The setback comes at the worst possible moment for the 24-year-old, whose hopes of featuring at the tournament—set to be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico—are now hanging in the balance.

For Traoré, this is yet another frustrating chapter in a career repeatedly interrupted by injuries at key moments. Despite flashes of talent and technical quality, fitness issues have consistently disrupted his momentum, particularly around major international tournaments.

Even before this latest setback, there was no guarantee he would be included in the plans of Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Faé for the World Cup squad. However, this injury now makes a potential call-up significantly more unlikely, dealing a heavy blow to his international ambitions.

Within Marseille, concern will also grow over the midfielder’s availability for the final stretch of the season. His absence could impact the club’s squad depth as they push toward the end of the campaign in a tightly contested league run-in.

For Traoré, the timing could hardly be worse. With the biggest tournament in world football approaching, what should have been a moment of excitement has instead turned into another period of uncertainty and frustration.

As medical assessments continue, both club and country will wait anxiously for updates—but for now, the World Cup dream appears to be slipping further out of reach for the Ivorian midfielder.