Martin Boyle has been forced to withdraw from the Australia World Cup squad after failing to shake off an injury picked up last month.
The 29-year-old Hibs star was hoping to be ready in time for the Socceroos’ opener against world champions France on Tuesday.
But despite the best efforts from medical teams, he has not recovered in time and will now be forced to miss the tournament.
Boyle was one of many well-known faces to Scottish football fans in the Australia squad including Cameron Devlin and Jason Cummings.
Australia Head Coach, Graham Arnold commented: “We all feel for Martin and it is a cruel blow for him on the eve of the World Cup.
“He has been an integral part of our journey to get to Qatar and we thank him for everything he has given the Socceroos during this campaign.
“We also thank his club, who have done everything possible from their end to try and help with Martin’s recovery.”
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