FIFA World Cup 2018: Injured XI

Attackers

Lars Stindl (Germany)- Second Striker

Lars Stindl was proving to be a big match player and his experience would have proved handy

Lars Stindl is a player who has blossomed quite late in his football career. A move to Borussia Monchengladbach at the age of 27 has proved to be the turning point in his career. Impressive performances at the club level earned him a call-up to the talented German squad in 2017 when he was 28.

He was called up for the Confederations Cup in which the Germans rested most of their first-choice players. Stindl was one of the best players in the tournament and he ended up with the Silver Boot for scoring 3 goals in the tournament, including the lone goal in the final against Chile.

Despite not being a regular figure in the German attack, the Monchengladbach captain was summoned in the team's past friendlies against Spain and Brazil after impressive performances in the club and international level. The 29-year's impressive showings would have earned him a ticket to Russia but a ruptured ligament forces the German to miss out on the World Cup, as he will have to undergo surgery.

Alexander Kokorin (Russia)- Striker

The home side will miss the presence of their front line striker in the World Cup

Alexander Kokorin is one of Russia's better strikers. The 27-year old is the highest goal scorer in Russia's young squad and the Zenit striker would have provided invaluable experience to a team devoid of big-game players. However, the World Cup hosts were dealt a major blow to their hopes when their star striker was ruled out from the World Cup.

In mid-March, he suffered a devastating ACL tear in a Europa League fixture against RB Leipzig and will the long-term injury meant that the Zenit striker would miss the World Cup in Russia.