Didier Drogba's World Cup dream could be over before it begins as the Chelsea striker was taken off injured after just 15 minutes of the Ivory Coast's final warm up game against Japan.
Drogba is suspected to have fractured his elbow after being caught by a high challenge from defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka. The Ivorian captain immediately crumpled over in pain, and although he walked off the field himself, there was no sign of movement from his right arm.
The 32 year old underwent a scan after he was substituted and will face an anxious wait for the results, given his age, the wrong result could spell the end of the former Marseille hitman's international career.
Short term coach, Sven Goran Eriksson was anxious for his skipper post match:
"It's an elbow injury but we don't know how bad it is, we (are going) straight to the hospital."
I think we should get an answer before we leave."
Eriksson's team already face an uphill struggle to qualify from a group containing Brazil and Portugal. And the Swede admitted the injury would come as a major blow:
"If it's serious, it's very worrying, he is our captain, one of the best strikers in the world."
The reigning African footballer of the year had put his country ahead through a deflected free kick just three minutes before the collision and Les Elephantes eventually ran out comfortable 2-0 winners in Switzerland.
The talismanic Drogba, who finished as top scorer in the Premier league with 29 goals, would be sorely missed and much of the burden will now fall on his Chelsea clubmate Solomon Kalou to fire Cote D'Ivoire into the knockout stages.
Thousands of African supporters attending the finals will also be facing disappointment from the news. Only Samuel Eto'o can rival Drogba in terms of hero worship on the continent, and a cloud still hangs over his involvement after criticism from Cameroon world cup legend Roger Milla.
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