England star plays down injury fears ahead of 2022 FIFA World Cup

England attacker James Maddison has eased concerns that he could miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup through injury after being forced off the pitch on Saturday (12th November).

England manager Gareth Southgate named his 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last week. Maddison's performances for Leicester saw him deservingly earn a place on the roster.

The attacker celebrated the call-up by helping Leicester to a 2-0 win against West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday. He opened the scoring for the Foxes just eight minutes into the match.

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However, Maddison suffered an injury scare as he hit the deck minutes later during the game. He was subsequently forced off the pitch, with Dennis Praet coming on for him in the 25th minute.

The 25-year-old's injury raised concerns about his chances of boarding the plane to Qatar. With the FIFA World Cup set to kick off next week, many feared the worst as the player limped off the pitch.

However, Maddison has now taken to social media to play down fears about his injury. The attacking midfielder brushed the injury off as a 'small problem' and expressed his delight at helping Leicester win their final match before the break. He wrote on Twitter:

"Another win and another goal. Perfect way to finish before the break. Injury isn’t too bad! A small problem that was causing a bit of soreness. Can’t wait to meet up with the lads Monday."

Another win & another goal. Perfect way to finish before the break🙌🏼 Injury isn’t too bad! A small problem that was causing a bit of soreness. Can’t wait to meet up with the lads Monday🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙏 https://t.co/ya2Idgm7aS

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers also provided an update on Maddison after his side's victory over West Ham. The Northern Irishman revealed that the England international was taken off just as a precaution. He said:

"Precautionary. He's ok."

Maddison has scored seven goals and provided four assists in 13 Premier League appearances for Leicester this term. He will be hopeful of having a similar impact when he links up with the Three Lions for the FIFA World Cup.

England kick off their FIFA World Cup campaign against Iran

England will kick off their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign next Monday (21st November). They are scheduled to lock horns with West Asian side Iran in their first match of the competition.

Southgate and Co. will also go up against Wales and the USA in the group stages of the tournament. They will be confident about qualifying for the knockout phase of the World Cup.

The Three Lions finished fourth in the previous edition of the World Cup, while Southgate led them to the European Championship final in 2020. They will be hopeful of getting their hands on the trophy this time around.