OFFICIAL: England loses top-tier defender for World Cup 2026

Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite will miss the remainder of the season and also miss out on the 2026 World Cup.

According to talkSPORT, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite will be sidelined until the end of the season and will also miss the upcoming World Cup.

The 23-year-old defender suffered a hamstring injury during the 1-2 loss to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby last weekend. He was stretchered off in the 87th minute while crying, indicating the severity of the issue.

The star born in 2002 endured a season heavily impacted by injury, missing the first half due to hamstring problems. He underwent surgery in October, but has now suffered another injury. Although the new injury occurred in the right leg, where he previously had surgery, it is reportedly not in the exact same location. Nevertheless, he will not play any further matches this season, as Everton strives to compete for a European qualification spot for the first time since 2018.

Currently, Everton is ranked 10th in the league with five rounds remaining, trailing Chelsea in 6th place by just three points and Fulham in 12th place.

This is also a major blow for Branthwaite, as his dream of participating in the 2026 World Cup has officially ended. He was competing for a spot in England's squad under manager Thomas Tuchel, especially after making his Premier League debut this season in January.

Overall, Branthwaite played 10 Premier League matches this season, with 7 starts.

His only appearance for England was in June 2024, when he came on as a substitute during the friendly 3-0 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina prior to Euro 2024.

Since then, Branthwaite has struggled to maintain fitness, with three different injuries causing him to miss a total of 20 matches for both club and national team last season. He has not been called up to the "Three Lions" again since his international debut.