Just in: Man Utd officially confirm ‘amazing’ star has sustained pre-World Cup injury

Manchester United full-back Noussair Mazraoui risks missing the World Cup after suffering a shoulder injury on Sunday.

The 28-year-old was a key player for Morocco in the previous edition of the tournament, helping his nation become the first African side to reach the semi-final.

On Sunday, Mazraoui was in action as the ‘Atlas Lions’ took on Norway in an international friendly held in New Jersey. But sadly for the Man Utd player, his outing ended prematurely.

Noussair Mazraoui picks up an injury ahead of the World Cup

The versatile defender was in the starting lineup against Norway, playing at left-back — as he often does when representing his nation — to accommodate Achraf Hakimi at right-back. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Martin Odegaard responding to Brahim Diaz’s early opener.

However, Mazraoui was forced to leave the pitch in 29 minutes after hurting his shoulder.

On Monday, United officially confirmed the news through a brief statement posted on their social media accounts.

“Nous appeared to pick up a shoulder injury during Morocco’s friendly with Norway yesterday,” reads the post published on X (formerly Twitter).

“We hope it’s nothing serious, Nous”

ℹ️ Nous appeared to pick up a shoulder injury during Morocco's friendly with Norway yesterday.

We hope it's nothing serious, Nous 💪

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 8, 2026

The player is expected to undergo the necessary clinical tests to determine the extent of his injury and whether he’ll be able to play in the World Cup.

Morocco will begin their campaign on Saturday with a clash against five-time winners, Brazil. If Mazraoui makes it, he would find familiar faces in Matheus Cunha and Casemiro, as well as incoming Man Utd signing, Ederson, who became a late addition to the Selecao.

They will later take on Scotland and Haiti in their remaining group-stage fixtures.

Mazraoui has been unlucky with injuries since joining Man Utd

While shoulder injuries can be more merciful compared to other knocks, a serious fracture would certainly rule Mazraoui out of the World Cup, especially with the tournament kicking off in three days.

Since joining Man Utd in the summer of 2024, the defender has been delivering ‘amazing displays every time he plays’, as Owen Hargreaves put it. However, his momentum has often been derailed by his recurring knocks.

While he hasn’t suffered a serious injury, Mazraoui’s untimely stops saw him drop behind Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw in the pecking order this season, as his teammates were available for the duration of the campaign.