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Veteran Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Vaart will miss the World Cup after injuring a calf muscle in his right leg.
He picked up the knock during Tuesday's training session at Netherlands' camp in Portugal and he has now been ruled out of the finals as a result. The Hamburg star with 109 international appearances is the second important midfielder to drop out of Louis van Gaal's squad.
His withdrawal is yet another blow for the 2010 World Cup runners-up after the previously confirmed absence of Kevin Strootman due to an injury.
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