Topics: Football World Cup, Jamie Carragher, Son Heung Min, Tottenham Hotspur, Champions League
Jamie Carragher used the words "absolute disgrace", "corrupt" and "absolutely disgusting" when describing the upcoming Qatar World Cup.
The former Liverpool defender was speaking to CBS Sports after a visibly shaken Son Heung-min was brought off in the first-half of Spurs' Champions League group stage clash against Marseille.
Following a nasty head collision with Chancel Mbemba, discussions over whether the South Korea international would make it to this winter's tournament were in full swing.
The latest injury, just weeks before this winter's World Cup in Qatar, sparked a furious response from Carragher, who didn't hold back in his assessment of FIFA's decision to alter the timing of the competition.
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He said: "I think it's an absolute disgrace that the World Cup is in the position it's in, for lots of reasons. It was corrupt that Qatar were given the World Cup, we knew that at the time.
"They campaigned on having it in the summer, it is impossible there to have a World Cup in the summer with the temperature, it gets moved to the situation where it is now in the middle of the season.
"Players who spend their whole lives dreaming of playing in a World Cup and now could be [out injured] - as we've seen with Son and players all around the world.
"[Raphael] Varane was crying coming off the pitch at Stamford Bridge. That's how close we are to a World Cup.
"An injury, a 10-day or two-week injury, is going to keep players out of a World Cup and it should not be happening. And it all started with FIFA giving Qatar the World Cup and then moving it. I think it's absolutely disgusting."
As Carragher mentioned in his post-match analysis, numerous players have either been ruled out – or continue to sweat on their fitness – ahead of this month's World Cup opener.
Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto are just a handful of players who will miss out on this winter's competition, not to mention Emile Smith Rowe, Wesley Fofana and Arthur Melo.
England trio Reece James, Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka remain hopeful of featuring, despite picking up knocks.
Chelsea full-back James is certainly not giving up hope on playing for Gareth Southgate's side in the coming weeks, despite picking up a serious knee problem.
“I need to keep working hard over the next few weeks and see where I am on call-up day," he told The Sun. “I will try and not rule myself out. It is still slow and in the early stages.
“I have been in rehab for two weeks, so I am still taking it day-by-day. The Chelsea medical staff have not given me a percentage of my chance of being back for the World Cup.
“It is down to how I feel closer to the time and how stable it is.”
Thoughts on Carragher's comments about the World Cup? Let us know.
