JEREZ, Spain - Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares is out of the World Cup after a freak accident at the team's training base in Jerez left him with a severed tendon in his right foot, the Spanish Football Federation said on Friday.
The Valencia player, who was shaping up as Spain's first choice keeper, sustained the injury after dropping a bottle of cologne on his foot while he was in his hotel room on Friday evening.
The 32-year-old, who has won 35 caps for Spain, is undergoing surgery in Jerez general hospital.
Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho called up the uncapped Pedro Contreras of Malaga to replace Canizares in the squad, but Real Madrid's Iker Casillas is now likely to be his number one choice.
The Spain squad leaves for South Korea and Japan on Monday where they are pitted against Slovenia, Paraguay and South Africa in group B.
- REUTERS
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Soccer: Freak accident puts Spain's Canizares out of Cup
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