Xavi Simons has been left “heartbroken” after he was ruled out for the rest of this season and the World Cup in an enormous blow to Tottenham’s survival hopes.
Netherlands playmaker Simons went down clutching his right knee in the 58th minute of Saturday’s 1-0 win at Wolves, which earned Spurs a first Premier League victory of 2026.
After Simons fell to the floor following a collision with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, the 23-year-old attempted to run off the injury but collapsed in front of Tottenham’s medical staff and subsequently left Molineux on a stretcher.
It increased fears over potential anterior cruciate ligament damage, and while Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi acknowledged Simons was feeling “better” in the dressing room after a first league win in 16 matches, he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.
In an Instagram post published late on Sunday night, Simons revealed he would not be fit enough to take part in Tottenham’s final four league matches or represent Netherlands at the World Cup this summer.
“They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way. My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it,” the former Paris Saint-Germain player said.
“Honestly, I’m heartbroken. None of it makes sense.
“All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup.”
Spurs have 11 players unavailable to play due to injury
The absence of £52m attacker Simons is a significant blow to Tottenham and De Zerbi, who has already lost captain Cristian Romero and winger Mohammed Kudus to season-ending injuries during his first month at the club.
Simons had endured a frustrating debut campaign in England, only showing flashes of his class under Thomas Frank before being bizarrely frozen out by Igor Tudor, but looked set for a key role with De Zerbi, especially after a wonder strike in a 2-2 home draw with Brighton.
Instead, Simons can play no part in Spurs’ desperate efforts to overturn a two-point deficit to 17th-placed West Ham in order to avoid their first relegation in 49 years.
Simons added: “It’ll take some time to find peace with this but I’ll continue to be the best team-mate I can be. I have no doubt that together we’ll win this fight.
“I’ll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief as I count down the days to getting back out there. Be patient with me.”
‘Spurs have no creativity in the squad after Simons injury’
Tottenham have four games left to beat relegation
Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge:
“The worst time possible, such a crucial time [for Xavi Simons to be injured]. It’s massive. He’s distraught as well, because he’ll be missing the World Cup. But it’s another serious injury. It is unbelievable.
“It was a big win for Spurs on Saturday because of teams around them winning again, Nottingham Forest, West Ham.
“Getting that win feels like a title race, not a relegation race. Spurs had to win on Saturday. But Xavi Simons was really sort of coming into a bit of form under Roberto De Zerbi.
“Spurs don’t have any creativity at the moment.”
‘Up and down first season for Simons’
“We forget how young he is and how difficult it is to move to the Premier League. So it’s been a bit of an up and down first season for him.
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Simons put Tottenham back in front with a brilliant strike in their Premier League clash with Brighton
“He’s been in the side, out of the side, he showed more glimpses when he was playing in the Champions League for Spurs this season.
“But, over the last few weeks, under Roberto De Zerbi, he’s really coming into his own. He scored that absolutely stunning goal against Brighton.
“It really was a brilliant goal out of nothing. And this is what Spurs are going to miss over the next few games, just that individual bit of brilliance which he’s capable of.
“The players, they’ve got to step up, but they don’t really have that kind of creativity in the side, so he’s going to have to mix it and match it a bit more now.
“He hasn’t got many to call back from the bench, so it’s going to be a difficult few weeks. That injury list is just absolutely ridiculous.”
