EFL star stretchered off pitch in tears as devastating injury appears to shatter World Cup dream

Ed Griffiths
Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:53:47 +0000

Patrick Agyemang's World Cup aspirations may have been shattered following a devastating injury picked up during Derby County's 2-0 triumph against Stoke on Easter Monday.

The 25-year-old American striker collapsed without any contact from opponents while bringing the ball down on his chest during the 40th minute.

Medical personnel rushed to attend to Agyemang, who was eventually carried from the pitch on a stretcher, clearly distressed and receiving comfort from fellow players.

The manner of his departure and visible emotional reaction have sparked fears of a serious Achilles injury.

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With the 2026 World Cup on home soil commencing in approximately two months, the timing could not be worse for the USA international hoping to represent his country at the tournament.

Derby manager John Eustace confirmed that Agyemang has been sent for a scan but cautioned against speculating on the extent of the damage.

Eustace said: "We'll have to wait and see.

"Patrick's gone for a scan now, so I can't really comment on that until we know the results."

He added: "Obviously, we don't want to see any player coming off the pitch on a stretcher, so that's not good."

When pressed on whether the injury would rule his striker out of the summer's World Cup, the Rams boss urged patience.

Eustace replied: "Well, let's just wait and see. I don't know how serious it is yet, so until we get the scan results, let's see."

Fellow Derby striker Carlton Morris offered words of encouragement for his injured teammate, describing the setback as a significant blow for the squad.

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Morris said: "Huge blow. Obviously, Pat's huge for us. Whatever it is, we're praying for him. He'll have all the support in the world from us."

The forward expressed confidence in Agyemang's ability to overcome whatever diagnosis awaits him.

"And he's mentally bulletproof. He'll be fine, whatever it is. He'll attack it head on with the support from the fantastic medical team here."

Agyemang's potential absence would deprive Mauricio Pochettino of a striker who has enjoyed a remarkable first campaign in English football.

Since arriving from Charlotte FC last summer, the Connecticut-born forward has registered 10 goals and four assists for the Rams.

His form earned him selection for both of the USA's March fixtures against Belgium and Portugal, netting against the former.

The 14-cap international had spoken recently about the competitive nature of earning a place in the national squad, emphasising his focus on hard work and on what he could control.

Pochettino's side are drawn in Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, with their opening match against Paraguay scheduled for June 13 on home turf.