What happened: Jurriën Timber has been forced to withdraw from the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup following a final fitness assessment in New York. The 24-year-old defender has been battling a persistent groin injury originally suffered in March and was deemed unable to compete in a medically responsible manner.

Why it matters: The withdrawal leaves manager Ronald Koeman without a versatile defensive starter just six days before the tournament begins. Timber is the second significant blow to the squad after the same Xavi Simons who was ruled out of the World Cup in April.

What to watch: The Netherlands face Uzbekistan in their final warm-up match tonight before traveling to their base camp for the June 14 opener against Japan.