Real Madrid midfielder struggling with injury ahead of 2026 World Cup match

Real Madrid officials are continuing to keep a close eye on their players at the ongoing 2026 World Cup in North America. In particular, their physical conditions will be monitored from afar, as there will be a strong desire to avoid any injuries that could carry into the start of the 2026-27 season, which begins in August.

Arda Guler is one player that won’t need to be worried about after the final round of matches in the group stage, given that his Türkiye side were eliminated after back-to-back defeats to Australia and Paraguay. However, there will be much more concern about the situation with Aurelien Tchouameni, given that France should go far in the tournament – and especially given that he has been struggling in the last few days.

According to Diario AS, Tchouameni is suffering with physical problems, to the point that he is classed as a doubt for France’s upcoming match against Iraq. Real Madrid will be keeping tabs on the situation, and given the nature of Les Bleus’ opponents, they will hope that he is rested at the Philadelphia Stadium.

France manager clarifies Tchouameni situation

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images

In the last 24 hours, France head coach Didier Deschamps addressed the situation with Tchouameni, and while he admitted that the problem isn’t serious, he hinted that he won’t be risked against Iraq.

“He stayed in the gym doing work on the bike and to receive treatment from a physiotherapist. A priori, there is no cause for concern. It’s a matter of managing the team. All the players, the 11 who started, cannot play all the games either. I consider that in my group there are about twenty who can be considered starters, unfortunately there are only 11 players on the field. So yes, I will have to make changes on the pitch.”

It certainly makes sense for Tchouameni to miss out against Iraq, but whether he does will depend on the decision of Deschamps. For their part, Real Madrid will hope that he is not risked.