The Barcelona defender’s hopes of competing in the World Cup for Uruguay appear to be over after he decided to under thigh surgery.
Ronald Araujo has denied suggestions that his decision to undergo thigh surgery was to favor Barcelona over Uruguay.
The 23-year-old defender insists his decision to go under the knife is based on medical advice only.
Araujo is a serious doubt for Uruguay’s World Cup squad in November. He suffered a tendon problem in the 1-0 friendly defeat to Iran last Friday and could now miss around 2-3 months of action while recovering from an operation he will take in Finland on Wednesday.
— Ronald Araujo (@RonaldAraujo_4) September 26, 2022
“I want to make clear the reasons why I made my decision, to avoid speculation,” Araujo posted on Twitter. “I love my country and I love my team.
“After consulting with several professionals, we decided the best [choice was] surgical intervention. Here, it is not about choosing one or the other, it is about health and getting back to 100 per cent as soon as possible.
“Personally, these are difficult times and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the support I’m receiving. With faith and hard work, I’ll do my best to get back to as quickly as possible. Hugs and blessings!”
Uruguay play one last friendly against Canada on Tuesday evening before the international break ends.
The two-time world champions are in Group H for the 2022 World Cup alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Ghana. They will play South Korea in their opening game on November 13 in Qatar.
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