Nigerian-born striker Samu Aghehowa has suffered a devastating ACL injury that is set to rule him out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, dealing a major blow to both FC Porto and Spain\u2019s World Cup preparations.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old forward tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during Porto\u2019s Primeira Liga clash against Sporting CP, where he was forced off at halftime. Medical tests later confirmed the severity of the injury.<\/p>\n
An ACL tear is one of the most serious injuries in football, with recovery typically taking between five months and over a year, effectively ruling Aghehowa out for the remainder of the 2025\/26 season.<\/p>\n
The setback comes at a time when Porto are enjoying a strong domestic campaign, sitting four points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga and already qualified for the Europa League knockout stage.<\/p>\n
Before the injury, Samu Aghehowa had been in outstanding form, scoring 20 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions, establishing himself as one of Europe\u2019s most promising young attackers.<\/p>\n
The injury is also expected to end his chances of featuring at the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off on June 11. Spain, drawn in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, may now have to compete without the in-form striker.<\/p>\n
Aghehowa has made four senior appearances for Spain since his debut in November 2024 and started a World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria in October. His rapid rise followed his move from Atletico Madrid to Porto in 2024, after a failed transfer to Chelsea, with Newcastle United also tracking him last summer.<\/p>\n
With Aghehowa sidelined, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente is expected to rely on attacking options such as Mikel Oyarzabal, \u00c1lvaro Morata, Borja Iglesias and Jorge de Frutos as preparations for the tournament continue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"