Liverpool star forced out of Euro 2024 with cruel injury as issues re-emerges

Liverpool forward Ben Doak has been forced out of Euro 2024 through injury, it has been confirmed by the Scottish Football Association.

The 18-year-old was a surprise inclusion in Steve Clarke’s 28-man provisional squad ahead of the tournament in Germany this month. He did not feature in his country's 2-0 friendly win over Gibraltar on Monday and on Tuesday night it was announced he was forced to withdraw.

A statement published on social media read: "Sadly, Ben Doak has been withdrawn from the #EURO2024 squad through injury. Ben – we know we'll see you entertaining crowds at Hampden in a Scotland shirt soon."

Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson is still set to be part of the Scotland squad in Germany, with Clarke reducing his 28-man squad to 26 players on Friday. Championship striker Lyndon Dykes has also been forced out of the tournament through injury, with Bristol City striker Tommy Conway called up to the senior squad ahead of a friendly against Finland on Friday. Scotland kick off the tournament against hosts Germany next Friday.

Ben Doak injury history explained

Doak has not played since December after picking up a knee injury which required surgery. Explaining the issue at the time, then Liverpool assistant Pepijn Lijnders said: “That’s not a good one. He teared his lateral meniscus, which needs surgery. That one will take [a] longer time. He is young, he is a fit guy, he is a positive guy so for sure he will come back stronger, and we need him to come back with the same fire he has with the ball, how he was. He can take time and we will wait for him.”

Doak made five senior appearances for the Reds last term, which would have undoubtedly been more if he had avoided injury as Jurgen Klopp called on a number of young stars throughout January and February amid a plethora of injuries within the senior squad.

The forward had been eager to get back playing again, he told the Scotland National Team’s official YouTube channel ahead of Monday’s fixture with Gibraltar: “I was training on my own for a while, just desperate to get back in, but the physios just told me ‘look, you’re not ready, take your time, you’ll be in when we think you’re in your best shape’.

“I went back into training last week of the season, so I’ve been training for maybe two or three weeks now and I feel great. I just can’t wait to get back kicking a ball. Before I got the injury I played a fair few games [for the first team], I got my first starts. It was pretty difficult for young players to get into the squad at that time.

“Obviously as the season went on all the young lads at Liverpool started to do well, scoring a few goals here and there, so it was gutting to see that. But when I got injured I just kind of put [the Euros] to the back of my head, I wasn’t expecting to even be back fit in time. But here I am!”