World Cup 2026: Jurien Timber from Netherlands team, Brazil’s Neymar is progressing well

Arsenal defender Jurien Timber has been ruled out of the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign with a groin injury and has been replaced by Lutsharel Geertruida.

Timber has been out since mid-March with a groin problem but appeared in the second half of the Champions League final in Budapest on 30 May.

The 24-year-old came on as a 66th-minute substitute against Paris Saint-Germain – his first appearance since a 2-0 win over Everton on 14 March.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said ahead of the final against Paris Saint-Germain that the Timbers were “fit” to play.

The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) said on Monday that Timber “has not recovered sufficiently” to participate in the tournament in a “medically responsible manner”.

“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 (friendly) game against Uzbekistan,” the KNVB added.

Timber has been capped 23 times by the Netherlands and made his first international appearance in June 2021.

Orange boss Ronald Koeman has called up Gertrude, 25, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig.

The Netherlands face Japan in their Group F opener on June 14 before games against Sweden and Tunisia.