Wales international Joe Allen will miss Euro 2020 after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Stoke City’s 5-1 win over Hull City, the club confirmed on Saturday.
Allen went down on the stroke of halftime after a challenge from Dan Batty saw the Stoke midfielder stretchered off the field.
“It’s not good news unfortunately, it looks like Joe has ruptured his Achilles which would obviously rule him out for the rest of the season,” Stoke City manager Michael O’Neill said after the match. “I’m devastated with that because he’s been fantastic since I came to the Club. Not only in terms his importance to the team and his importance to the Club, but what he has to look forward to in the summer as well at EURO 2020 with Wales. It’s really disappointing news to hear.”
The 29-year-old midfielder debuted for the national team in 2009 and has been a mainstay in the Wales midfield since first earning a starting role in 2011, with 53 total caps for the national team. He played nearly every minute of Wales’ run to the Euro 2016 semifinals in what was the country’s first appearance at a European final tournament.
“He’s been terrific and is a terrific player,” O’Neill said. “He’s everything you want in a player, he takes responsibility and as a leader, without being particularly loud and vocal, he leads by example in terms of the way he plays the game. Things like that you don’t want to see happen to any player, but particularly a lad like Joe, so I’m a bit upset and disappointed, as well as gutted for the player.”
Allen has been an absolute workhorse for Stoke City since joining from Liverpool in 2016. The former Swansea City youth product has made at least 36 league appearances for the Potters in every season since joining the club, accumulating at least 2,900 league minutes in every season. He racked up a whopping 4,132 minutes last Championship campaign, which is just eight minutes shy of a perfect full season of 46 90-minute performances.