With the FIFA World Cup just days away across the Atlantic in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, there will be plenty of EFL participation on football’s biggest platform.

Although the tournament has come under heavy criticism as a result of off-field issues, millions of people around the world will continue to tune in, hoping to see their individual countries reach some type of greatness.

It is the first World Cup to contain 48 countries, hence the final will not take place until Sunday, July 19th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with the first match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday, June 11th at 8 PM UK time.

Many players’ performances in the tournament could help them land a dream transfer to a division such as the Premier League, though the ever-increasing standard of the Championship and the finances on offer in the EFL’s top league mean that some could potentially join one of the upcoming 24 sides in 2026/27.

Patrick Agyemang, a USMNT international forward who moved from MLS outfit Charlotte FC to Derby County for a reported initial £7.3 million fee 11 months ago, was one of the pre-existing figures who has caught the eye at various points in the past year for his performances on the pitch as well as his hefty price tag.

However, the 25-year-old, who had sparked Premier League interest with his goal-scoring prowess, has lost out on a spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s team owing to well-documented injury misfortune, which he has subsequently revealed.

Patrick Agyemang talks up about Derby County’s injury heartache ahead of the United States’ ‘home’ World Cup.

The striker made his USMNT debut in January 2025, just six months before arriving to Pride Park under John Eustace, and has since become one of the MLS’ most prolific goal scorers.

Agyemang was able to extend his momentum into the Championship, forming a solid partnership with the experienced Carlton Morris, who had also endured injury troubles, and scoring 10 goals and four assists in his first 38 games.

The final of those came on Easter Monday in a home win over Stoke City, when he was replaced after 41 minutes due to a significant achilles tendon injury.

As a result, it has been widely reported that he would miss his country’s ‘home’ tournament, in which they face Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey in Group D.

After seeing the Stars and Stripes’ 3-2 victory over Senegal in a warm-up friendly over the weekend, Agyemang commented on his injury: “It hurts. It’s challenging, but that’s just life. I chose this path, which has both positive and negative aspects, including my enjoyment of playing and scoring,

as well as the current circumstances.Maybe 10 to 15 seconds after I was on the ground, I looked back and realised that no one had kicked me. I thought someone had kicked me. “But no one was there, and that’s when everything started to hit,” the forward explained.I touched the back of my leg and did not feel my Achilles.

I broke down because I understood, “World Cup consideration is over. Who knows how I’ll recover? “The summer, with all of its excitement and potential, was for nothing,” he said.

“It felt like everything slipped away so quickly, which was difficult. However, I now realise that it was worse in my imagination than it is in reality. I’m in a wonderful place right now because of all the love and support.”

Patrick Agyemang will be a significant absence during the first few months of Derby County’s season.

Throughout his initial months in the English game, Agyemang’s well-rounded nature as a centre-forward garnered him a lot of praise, and he was a big part of the Rams’ play-off campaign, which unfortunately fell short on the last day.

It has been widely stated that the striker will be out of action for around nine months, which, taking the initial date of the achilles injury into consideration, translates to a recuperation period spanning until the final weeks of 2026 and the beginning of 2027.

As a result of the increased number of sides competing in the play-offs, Eustace may feel compelled to add more firepower to fill such a void, especially if a reported investment from Saudi boxing magnate Turki Alalshikh is made to aid another prospective promotion campaign.