Ivorian Didier Drogba has postponed surgery on an abdominal hernia so he can take part in June’s World Cup.
The Chelsea striker has been playing through the pain of the troublesome hernia injury for the past few months.
The surgery was scheduled for next week but Drogba now says it will not be fixed before the finals.
“I play the World Cup and then I will see after what I will do, but I won’t have the surgery now, in two or three weeks – no I won’t,” Drogba said.
The Ivorian deferred the operation after doctors assured him that his future health was not at risk.
The operation would have put Drogba out of action for up to three weeks, putting his chances of appearing at the tournament in South Africa in doubt.
The striker is expected to play a key part in Ivory Coast’s World Cup campaign as they face Brazil, Portugal in North Korea in Group G.
The tournament starts on 11 June.
