Falcao Out of World Cup, Ribery Makes France List

Colombia striker Radamel Falcao has been ruled out of the 2014 World Cup kicking off in just over a week in Brazil after failing to fully recover from his knee injury.

Falcao’s unavailability was confirmed after Colombia left the AS Monaco striker out of their final 23-man squad to the World Cup which was submitted to FIFA this evening.

Falcao had picked up the injury while playing for Monaco in January, though their were hopes he would recover in time for the World Cup after undergoing surgery and resuming light training only recently.

Colombia’s strike force is now expected to be led by FC Porto striker Jackson Martinez, newly-signed Borussia Dortmund striker Adrian Ramos and Sevilla’s Carlos Bacca.

The South American nation have been drawn in Group C alongside Cote D’Ivoire, Japan and Greece, against whom they begin their World Cup campaign on June 14.

France’s Franck Ribery meanwhile was named in Didier Deschamps final 23-man squad despite nursing a back injury which has kept him from Les Bleus recent friendly matches against Norway and Paraguay.

The injury limited Ribery to only 18 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich though the winger is expected to feature in France’s final warm-up match against Jamaica on Sunday.

France have been drawn in Group E alongside Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras, with a match against Honduras kicking the French’s campaign off on June 15.