Manuel Lanzini Ruled Out of Argentina's 2018 World Cup After Rupturing ACL

Argentina midfielder Manuel Lanzini has been ruled out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

La Albiceleste released a statement confirming Lanzini's enforced withdrawal from the tournament with less than a week before it gets under way on June 14 (h/t Goal's Ben Hayward):

The West Ham United star was a surprise name in manager Jorge Sampaoli's squad and was in contention for a start following good form for his club, but he now potentially faces months on the sidelines.

Lanzini had started in two of Argentina's last three warm-up fixtures prior to Friday's injury, and Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe gave him good odds of figuring prominently in Sampaoli's plans:

An 85th-minute goal in a friendly meeting with Italy back in March appeared to have helped cement his place in Argentina's World Cup squad.

West Ham writer Sam Inkersole illustrated the player's anguish, with Lanzini set to travel to Russia despite having only earned four previous caps for his country:

Argentina could well have done with a supplemental talent like the Hammers man, too, with forwards Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala crying out for a steady supply of ammunition.

It won't be Lanzini who supplies it at the World Cup, however, and Sampaoli will now need to examine his back-ups to select a replacement for his injured star.

La Albiceleste have other creative midfield weapons in Ever Banega, Maximiliano Meza, Eduardo Salvio and Giovani Lo Celso, but Lanzini was enjoying a good run of form in 2018 and will be missed.

The 25-year-old will have to show faith in his own ability to make his way back into Argentina's plans for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, although his focus now will merely be recovering from a severe injury.

West Ham will be pained to hear of the knee issue, which almost certainly means he'll miss the beginning of the Premier League season, which is scheduled to get under way on August 11.