Didier Drogba Injury: Star Breaks Arm, Will Miss World Cup (VIDEO)

(AP) SION, Switzerland — Didier Drogba told teammate Kolo Toure that he will miss the World Cup after breaking his right arm Friday in a warmup match.

"For him, he said, the World Cup is finished," Toure said.

(SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO)

The 32-year-old Drogba was taken off 15 minutes into Ivory Coast's 2-0 win over Japan after a high challenge by Japan defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka. He was then rushed to a hospital.

"We can just see on his face that he was sad, and when he is like that you can't ask more," Toure said. "It is difficult for us because he is such a really important player."

Team spokesman Eric Kacou told The Associated Press that "it is a fracture in his right arm," but coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said the team hadn't officially ruled out its captain.

"We are not sure yet," Eriksson said, saying Drogba's participation was "still a possibility."

Toure said Ivory Coast's players were hoping for a surprising recovery, and said the team would know more later Friday.

Drogba scored 29 goals in 32 Premier League matches this season, helping Chelsea win the title.

Friday's friendly was the final warmup for Ivory Coast and Japan before they travel to South Africa. The Ivorians open the World Cup on June 15 against Portugal in Port Elizabeth, while Japan begins a day earlier against Cameroon in Bloemfontein.

Drogba appeared to be holding his right side after Tulio's challenge. After returning from the hospital, the striker entered the team bus without speaking to reporters.

Eriksson said the injury was unlucky, and didn't blame Tulio.

"It wasn't bad or stupid. He didn't want to hurt anyone," the Swedish coach said. "Football is a game of contact."

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Comments

[Hareega]

12:38 AM on 06/08/2010

It's so sad, Cote D'Ivoire is very unlucky, they came in the toughest group in 2006, alongside Argentina, Holland and Serbia, they really played well, but they just were unlucky, and this time Drogba is gone, how sad

[Xygo Dee]

01:13 PM on 06/07/2010

God...... save Drogba!!! He really can't miss this upcoming game in Africa. Wake up Drogba, you can do it! :(

[goddessNdiva]

06:21 AM on 06/07/2010

Say it isn't so...hope he heals fast.

[Cristancho]

05:43 PM on 06/06/2010

How sad!!!!!! I was really hoping to see Drogba and a strong IC side make a good run this year.

[CurvedCorner]

11:16 AM on 06/06/2010

Latest reports are saying that after his surgery he may not miss a game after all. Maybe just the opening game. So this is great news. Ivory Coast really needs their captain.

[hososoe]

10:59 PM on 06/06/2010

I agree great news! watching that team play is incredible

[BryanTheRegOps]

05:39 PM on 06/05/2010

That Japanese player was very careless and negligent. He should at least be fined or banned form this WC. There was no need for him to go up that high and then the way he reacted afterward showed he didn't care.

[abuja19]

05:58 PM on 06/05/2010

Agreed.

[chocoicecream]

12:46 PM on 06/05/2010

That really sucks..but you know, don't be surprised to see him on the field, It's not like he broke his leg.

[Eben Arias]

12:44 PM on 06/05/2010

Good. I didn't really like him. Lot of negative coming out of drogba.

[SavonarolaGirolamo]

03:16 PM on 06/05/2010

SAY WHAT? Based on exactly what? You would seem to know nothing about Didier Drogba. How about how he invested in fair trade chocolate in his home country? How about how he helped get a football match to be played in northern Côte d'Ivoire, as a gesture of national reconciliation in the wake of his country's tragic civil war in the early 2000s? How about how he is BELOVED in his home country not only for being the local kid who made the big time but how never forgot where he comes from?

Utter rubbish. Oh wait, you have one of those cute HuffPo badges, so you must be qualified.

[Eben Arias]

11:05 PM on 06/05/2010

I meant his coach, lol. He talked smack about my team! :(

I still don't like him, mainly 'cause there are other strikers...and I'm jealous.

[Godweiser]

08:04 AM on 06/06/2010

Drogba's on the Time 100, and not merely because he can play the ball. Drogba's there and Cristiano Ronaldo and all the others aren't because Drogba's consistently given hugely of himself to charities and development in Cote d'Ivorie, including his entire six million Euro fee from a Pepsi endorsement to a hospital.

Maybe you think he's Mr. Negativity, but I tend to respect that while there's the occasional hijink on the pitch, the man is impeccable off it. At 32, it's unfortunate he suffered such an injury, because this is surely his last World Cup.

[KIVPossum]

06:26 AM on 06/05/2010

ouch, had them for 2nd place in Group G. Need to move my money to Portugal.

[Aja Mazin]

06:37 AM on 06/05/2010

but before you do, check out your firewall and update your virus protection

[KIVPossum]

06:46 AM on 06/05/2010

hahaha :)

[Godweiser]

08:05 AM on 06/06/2010

He may still be playing, we'll see. I'd like to see Portugal knocked out in the group, if only to watch Cristiano Ronaldo's pouty expression after losing.

[hososoe]

11:01 PM on 06/06/2010

YAY! someone else cant stand cristianos antics

[SolarArray]

02:57 AM on 06/08/2010

I hope Ronaldo loses as well. Who can respect a player who blatantly dives like he does? Nobody.

[KCM7]

12:57 AM on 06/05/2010

One of the top 5 players in the world out for the World Cup. Sad.

[Jetwash]

12:22 AM on 06/05/2010

A fracture? He will play. They will sit him out of the group round and play him in the elimination round two weeks later. Six weeks is the normal time for a fracture to heal and he will be a third into that by then. In addition, FIFA will allow a soft cast to be used for him to play. If it were his leg that would be different. If he were Tierry Henry it would be different too.

[aztecsfan]

01:09 AM on 06/05/2010

"They will sit him out of the group round and play him in the elimination round two weeks later." And so you're assuming they'll somehow get by either Brazil or Portugal WITHOUT Drogba? The Ivory Coast is a very talented squad, but it will take a monumental effort for them to beat either Brazil or Portugal without Didier. Aside from Kalou and Dindane, who's going to score goals for them?

[nkadzi]

11:55 PM on 06/04/2010

I am hoping for a miracle!!

[yatesh]

07:18 PM on 06/04/2010

Did he actually break his arm? Or he take a dive as usual?

[OutAtFirst]

11:19 PM on 06/04/2010

Respectfully, you should not post to threads that you know nothing about. If you knew anything about English or international soccer you would know how foolish your post is.

[aztecsfan]

01:11 AM on 06/05/2010

Please, before Jose finally set him straight, Didier was one of the worst divers in the BPL. He still tries to sell fouls too much, but he's not nearly as bad as he was a few years ago.

[Timothy2700]

07:07 PM on 06/04/2010

To say this is a HUGH LOSE is very an UNDERSTATEMENT.
HE'S ONE HELL OF A PLAYER!! HEAL FAST MY FRIEND!!

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

07:07 PM on 06/04/2010

That's messed up.

USA! USA! USA!