Matthijs de Ligt ruled out of 2026 World Cup after back surgery

Matthijs de Ligt has been ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after undergoing back surgery, the defender said in a post on his official Instagram account. The 26-year-old, who has struggled with a persistent back problem this season, confirmed he opted for surgery after six months of treatment and rehabilitation, and said the operation means he will miss the tournament in North America.

Why it matters

De Ligt's absence is a significant setback for the Netherlands ahead of Group F, which they will contest alongside Tunisia, Sweden and Japan. The central defender had reclaimed importance for his national side after returning to prominence with Manchester United, but back problems limited him to 14 appearances for his club this season and ultimately ended his campaign in December.

What De Ligt said

In his Instagram post, De Ligt wrote that after six months of treatment and trying to recover, surgery was the only option left. He expressed disappointment at missing the Netherlands' World Cup campaign and at not being able to help his club during the last six months, but added an optimistic note about working to return to full fitness and play in front of fans again.

Club and international context

This season De Ligt made 14 appearances for Manchester United across the Premier League and the Carabao Cup, scoring once. He began experiencing back problems in December that prevented him from returning to action and brought his season to an early close. The source notes that head coach Ronald Koeman had not always prioritised De Ligt in recent years, but the defender had started the Netherlands' final match of 2025, a 4-0 win over Lithuania in November, indicating he had regained a key role before his injury problems resurfaced.

De Ligt's withdrawal follows earlier World Cup absences for the Netherlands: the report mentions Xavi Simons was already ruled out weeks earlier with a serious knee injury. The Netherlands' Group F opponents include Japan, who have also suffered injury setbacks to key players (the source references Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino being ruled out for Japan).

• Matthijs de Ligt underwent back surgery and will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to his Instagram post.
• De Ligt played 14 times for Manchester United this season and had been out since December with back problems.
• The Netherlands are in Group F with Tunisia, Sweden and Japan.
• The Netherlands had already lost Xavi Simons to a serious knee injury prior to De Ligt's withdrawal.
• Japan have also had notable absences, with Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino reported unavailable for the tournament.

Squad and tactical implications

The source does not list who will replace De Ligt in the Netherlands' 26-man squad or whether an official squad change has been announced by the KNVB. De Ligt's absence removes an experienced central defender from consideration and will force Ronald Koeman to adjust defensive options and selection plans ahead of the World Cup. Specific tactical changes, potential replacements, and any formal squad updates were not provided in the source and need confirmation from the Netherlands' federation.

What happens next

According to the available report, De Ligt intends to focus on rehabilitation after surgery and aims to return to playing in front of fans once recovered. For readers and editors: official confirmation from the Netherlands national team and Manchester United should be sought to verify the surgery date, any medical timelines, and the formal World Cup squad updates. Once those are published, a follow-up story should detail the replacement options and the Netherlands' revised defensive plans.