-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Spain striker Fernando Torres may not be fit for the start of the World Cup , according to his English club Liverpool . The forward scored 18 goals in 22 games in the Premier League before his season was cut short by a knee injury . Torres had surgery to repair a torn cartilage in April and is now racing to be fit for Spain 's opening game at the finals with Switzerland on June 16 . Peter Brukner , Head of Sports Medicine and Sports Science at Liverpool , says the 26-year-old may not have recovered in time to launch his country 's charge for the trophy . He told Liverpool 's official Web site : `` You ca n't be absolutely certain of anything but at this stage , if he continues to progress the way he is , he should be fit to play at some stage during the World Cup . `` Whether he 'll be fit for the first game or not is uncertain . We 're anxious not to hurry him along too much because we want the long-term benefit , but we 're aware he 's got the short-term goal of playing in the World Cup . '' Meanwhile , Germany coach Joachim Loew has been dealt a double blow ahead of the World Cup after goalkeeper Rene Adler and midfielder Simon Rolfes were ruled out of the tournament through injury . Adler has been told he needs surgery on a rib injury , aggravated while playing for his club Bayer Leverkusen during their weekend German Bundesliga draw with Hertha Berlin . He has been the country 's number one since Robert Enke committed suicide in November 2009 , and has nine caps to his name . `` This was the hardest decision of my life , '' Adler told the German Football Association 's Web site . `` The pain is so great that I would not have been able to perform at my best over the longer term both in training and during matches . `` In such a long and intensive tournament , that is unacceptable . You need players who are totally fit . '' Rolfes , who also plays for Leverkusen , has been out of action since an operation on a knee injury back in January and will not be adding to his 21 caps at the finals in South Africa . He said : `` I am very pleased with the healing process but it is now definitively clear that the World Cup finals for me make no sense . `` My plan is now to look to start the new Bundesliga season fully fit . Missing out on the World Cup is not easy . It only remains for me now to wish the team every success in South Africa . '' Meanwhile , striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has been left out of Holland 's provisional World Cup squad , but coach Bert Van Marwijk says it does n't necessarily spell the end of his World Cup dream . The 33-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward is currently playing for Hamburg in the Bundesliga . `` As for Ruud , I 'm giving myself until May 11 to decide , '' Van Marwijk was quoted as saying in a story on FIFA 's Web site . `` I 'm leaving him until that date to convince me that he is sufficiently in shape to take part in the World Cup . ''