FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Nations League - Group A - France v Croatia - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - June 13, 2022 France's Boubacar Kamara in action REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
(Reuters) - France midfielder Boubacar Kamara has been ruled out of the World Cup in Qatar due to a knee ligament injury, Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard said on Friday.
The 22-year-old, who has three caps for the national team after making his debut in June, picked up the injury in the 1-0 Premier League win over Southampton earlier this month.
"Bouba will be missing until after the World Cup unfortunately so that's a huge blow," Gerrard told reporters ahead of his side's league trip to Leeds United on Sunday.
Boubacar's absence is the latest blow to defending champions France, who have also been without key midfielders N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba in the build-up to the showpiece event that kicks off on Nov. 20.
France open their campaign against Australia in Group D on Nov. 22 followed by group games against Denmark and Tunisia.
(Reporting by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
