Reece James all but ruled out of World Cup with knee injury

LONDON (AP) — Reece James has vowed to fight on after almost certainly being ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury.

Tests have confirmed the Chelsea and England defender faces an eight-week lay-off while he receives specialist treatment on the damage sustained in the Champions League game against AC Milan on Tuesday.

The tournament in Qatar kicks off in just over one month's time on November 20 - but James issued a defiant message on social media on Saturday night.

“The race against time is on… But we won’t give up,” he tweeted.

Chelsea and England were hopeful James' injury was not as serious as first feared. But subsequent examinations have confirmed he faces a lengthy period out of action.

“After consultation between all parties, Reece will now undergo a rehabilitation programme and is expected to be out for eight weeks,” Chelsea said.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson