Arsenal and England midfielder midfielder Jack Wilshere has been ruled out for six weeks with a fractured foot, disrupting his club's title challenge and his own preparations for the World Cup.
The playmaker suffered the injury in England's international friendly victory over Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday.
"Following initial scans carried out by The FA on Wednesday night, further investigation by Arsenal's medical team has discovered a crack to a small bone in Wilshere's left foot - the navicular, an area of his foot which has not been previously injured," the FA said in a statement.
"Wilshere will now require a period of approximately six weeks' rehabilitation, before embarking on regaining his match fitness."
The injury comes at a bad time for Arsenal, who are third in the English Premier League and four points behind leaders Chelsea with 10 games remaining.
Wilshere will miss Arsenal's FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday against Everton as well as the return leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against Bayern Munich on March 11.
He is also likely to sit out crucial Premier League games away at Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Everton as well as home clashes against Manchester City and West Ham United.
Image: Jack Wilshere
Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Reuters
