Jurrien Timber has withdrawn from the Netherlands World Cup squad because of a groin injury and Lutsharel Geertruida has been called up as his replacement, the national team confirmed on Monday.
The federation said Timber had "not recovered sufficiently" and therefore could not "to take part in the World Cup in a medically responsible manner." It added that "in consultation with the medical staff, it has therefore been decided that Timber will leave the national team’s pre-camp in New York" after the final warm-up game against Uzbekistan on June 8.
Timber’s withdrawal closes a short, complicated recovery timeline. He sustained the groin problem in March and was sidelined for several months. He returned to training during the last week of the domestic campaign and then played for over 50 minutes in the Champions League final on May 30, but did not feature in the 1-0 friendly loss to Algeria on June 3.
The decision reshuffles the defensive options for the Netherlands. Geertruida, a right-back and the like-for-like replacement, made 31 appearances for Sunderland last season and has 21 caps for his country. He featured for just over 20 minutes in the Algeria friendly last week before being summoned into the World Cup squad.
Timber leaves a strong club season behind him. He made 44 appearances for Arsenal, scoring four goals and providing seven assists, and has 23 Netherlands appearances to his name. The squad named on May 26 originally included both Jurrien and his twin brother Quinten Timber; Jurrien’s exit trims that pairing ahead of the tournament.
The choice to withdraw Timber despite his appearance in the Champions League final is the central friction in the move. Playing more than 50 minutes on May 30 suggested he had reached a match-fit level, yet the medical staff judged his recovery insufficient for a month-long international tournament. The national team’s statement framed the call as a medical decision rather than a tactical one.
Selection discussions had other threads. Jeremie Frimpong, who has 15 Netherlands caps, was again overlooked for the final squad. The arrival of Geertruida keeps the right-back slot covered while the coaching staff move forward without Timber.
The immediate next step is concrete: Timber will leave the national team’s pre-camp in New York. What remains unanswered is a medical timeline beyond that departure — the federation has not provided a recovery date or indicated whether Timber could be available for Netherlands selection after the World Cup. That gap will determine whether he is a short-term casualty or faces a longer spell on the sidelines for club and country.
