Harry Souttar injury update deals Socceroos World Cup hammer blow

The Socceroos’ hopes of qualifying for the World Cup have taken a massive hit as scans reveal the extent of Harry Souttar’s injury.

If the Socceroos are to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, they will have to do so without key defender Harry Souttar.

Scans on Monday (AEDT) revealed the 26-year-old ruptured his achilles and will be sidelined for the next 12 months.

The Australian centre-back picked up the injury while playing for Sheffield United in his side’s Boxing Day defeat to Burnley.

Souttar is currently on loan at the Blades from Premier League side Leicester City and the injury blow means he won’t be back until at the earliest the end of 2025, with United manager Chris Wilder confirming the extent of the injury on Monday.

“He is absolutely gutted,” Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield. “Devastated for him, he loved it here.

“Big disappointment to lose the big fella because he has been incredible.”

Harry Souttar (middle) will miss up to 12 months of football after rupturing his achilles playing for club team Sheffield United. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

It is a massive blow for Tony Popovic’s Socceroos ahead of next March’s World Cup qualifying match against Indonesia in Sydney.

After an embarrassing draw and a loss to football minnows Bahrain during this round of World Cup qualifiers, Australia finds themselves in a precarious position.

They are not only on the brink of missing out on automatic qualification but at risk of not qualifying for the World Cup altogether if they fail to beat Indonesia.

The Socceroos have tough matches against Indonesia, China, Saudi Arabia and Japan to round out their group.

With only four games left, Australia are second on seven points in a chaotic Group C, nine points behind leaders Japan and a point ahead of Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and China.

The top two teams in the group earn direct qualification for 2026, while the third and fourth-placed sides enter another round of qualifying.

If the Socceroos lose to Indonesia they risk dropping to as low as fifth.

And the Socceroos now face the daunting task of qualifying without an essential cog in defence in Souttar.

Souttar had rediscovered his best form this season after sealing a loan move to United in the off-season.

Frozen out by the Foxes City last year, Souttar has featured in 21 league matches with the Blades and has helped the side climb to second place in the English second tier.

Harry Souttar (middle) will miss up to 12 months of football after rupturing his achilles playing for club team Sheffield United. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

“Unfortunately that’s me out for a while but I wish everyone at the club all the best for the rest of the season and beyond,” Souttar wrote in a message to Instagram.

“Thanks to everyone at Sheffield United, amazing club with great people.”

Souttar found himself in a similar situation in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in a 0-0 qualifying draw against Saudi Arabia almost three years ago to the day.

He was able to return in time to help Australia in Qatar, where he played a starring role under Graham Arnold to help the Socceroos reach the round of 16, where they narrowly went down 2-1 to the eventual champions Argentina.