Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has received an outpouring of support from teammates, international colleagues and rival stars after undergoing surgery on a long-term back injury.
The Dutch centre-back has been sidelined since late November, and it was confirmed on Friday that surgery became the only remaining solution after months of rehabilitation and treatment.
As a result, De Ligt is also set to miss this summer’s FIFA World Cup — a major setback for both the player and the Netherlands national team.
Following the announcement, several football stars quickly rallied around the Manchester United defender on social media.
Arsenal and Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber reacted with a heart emoji, while Manchester City duo Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake also showed support for the injured defender.
Furthermore, Dutch internationals including Denzel Dumfries, Micky van de Ven and Frenkie de Jong joined the growing list of players wishing De Ligt a speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, De Ligt’s former Bayern Munich teammates Dayot Upamecano and Aleksandar Pavlovic also sent heartfelt messages.
“Get well soon boss,” Upamecano wrote.
“Get well soon brother,” Pavlovic added.
De Ligt later shared an emotional message on Instagram, reflecting on the difficult decision to undergo surgery after six frustrating months on the sidelines.
“After 6 months of treatment and working hard to get back, surgery was the only option left. I’m disappointed I couldn’t help the team the last 6 months and obviously missing out on the World Cup but I am looking forward to doing everything to get back in front of the fans and feeling better again.”
The injury blow comes during a difficult period for Manchester United, with interim boss Michael Carrick already battling several defensive absences this season.
Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro and Harry Maguire have all missed matches through injury, leaving United short at the back during a crucial stretch of the campaign.
Now, attention turns to De Ligt’s recovery process as the experienced defender begins a long road back to full fitness.
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