Bermuda coach Michael Findlay says he is “extremely disappointed” to have lost the services of stalwart Lejuan Simmons for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June.

The experienced defender has been ruled out for a year after rupturing his Achilles tendon during the national team’s 5-1 defeat against Guinea in the final game of the inaugural Fifa Series in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday.

”First and foremost, we are all sad about the situation as nobody likes to see anyone sustain an injury as severe as his,” Findlay told The Royal Gazette.

“Secondly, we have been and will continue to make sure Lejuan is given the best of care, which will include surgery in the coming days.

“I am proud of our medical staff and their efforts to support and treat Lejuan in the early period of the injury. We have a great medical team.

“In terms of loss to the team, we are extremely disappointed that we will not have Lejuan available for the June World Cup qualifying matches as he has been an integral piece of our team, both on and off the field, through his performances and leadership.

“However, this is why we have made it a key part of our programme’s growth to expand the depth in our squad in all positions, and we are confident we will have someone step up to replace Lejuan during his absence.

“Football can be very cruel, and injury is part of it, but the game does not stand still and we must address Lejuan’s unavailability within our group and look forward to that opportunity being presented.”

The national team will face Honduras, Antigua & Barbuda, Cuba and Cayman Islands in group A in the second stage of Concacaf qualification, with the first window of fixtures taking place in June and the second window in June 2025.

Simmons, who plays for Premier Division side Devonshire Cougars, suffered the injury at Abdullah Sports City in the 41st minute with the game deadlocked at 1-1 and had to be taken off on a stretcher.

“It was very unexpected, the injury,” Simmons said. “The stadium heard a loud pop and I was just on the ground in immediate sharp pain.”

Simmons had raised concerns about the pitch conditions before the kick off.

“Pitches were very smooth and flat but also hard,” he added. “It wasn’t a soft surface, which I complained about in the warm-up.”

The 30-year-old underwent an MRI and is now awaiting surgery back on island.

“I had an MRI in Saudi after the game and surgery is required,” Simmons said.

“The important thing was getting me out of Saudi and travelling safe with the injury. The team and myself weighed out my best options for surgery and decided on coming home.

“Fortunately Craig Brown [team physiotherapist] and the senior men’s team doctor were able to schedule me in for consultation with a surgeon on island early next week.”

Simmons is now facing a long road to recovery and as well as the World Cup qualifiers, he will miss the start of the 2024-25 domestic season.

“I’m out for the rest of the calendar year, unfortunately,” he added.

“To be honest, the more I think of it the more frustrated I get, and it’s early days, but if I keep my mind on the competitions I am missing out on I may send myself crazy.

“I’m just focused on full health and to get that movement back for my two boys then the football part will come after. I just want to get this surgery out of the way first.”