Date Published: 06/05/10

Doubts over Drogba as he breaks arm

Didier Drogba fears World Cup woe after suffering a suspected broken arm.

Chelsea's Ivory Coast hitman was injured during a friendly against Japan yesterday. He was taken to hospital clutching his elbow following a high challenge.

Team-mate Kolo Toure admitted: "Didier said for him the World Cup is finished. We can just see on his face he was sad."

But boss Sven Goran Eriksson insisted: "We are not sure yet, he's still a possibility for us." The ex-England coach did not rule Drogba, 32, out of their finals opener against Portugal on June 15.

An Ivory Coast spokesman said: "We don't know if he will be able to play the first game - that depends on the verdict of the medical team. But he's definitely not out."

Thierno Seydi, Drogba's agent, added: "I've just spoken to Didier. We were all given a fright.

"The fracture is real but I think it depends on the medical staff. It seems we are going down the path of an operation and then we'll see.

"But when a player like Didier says that he could still make it it is reassuring. In his head he still has a chance."

Eriksson said Japan defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka was blameless in the incident which happened just 15 minutes into the warm-up match in Sion, Switzerland.