World Cup Dreams in Jeopardy: Mexico Captain Faces Devastating Injury Setback

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching in under six months, Mexico's national squad is starting to look like a medical ward, as skipper Edson Álvarez has become the most recent addition to an expanding roster of injured El Tri stars whose World Cup participation remains uncertain.

Álvarez has been dealing with a persistent ankle problem for nearly two months that kept him out of six matches as 2026 began. He made his comeback last week, but the issue flared up again during his short appearance for Fenerbahçe in their Europa League loss to Aston Villa.

The Mexican captain issued a social media statement over the weekend detailing his injury situation, raising significant concerns for El Tri as the World Cup draws near.

"During the December 1st derby against Galatasaray, I received a heavy blow to my ankle late in the match," Álvarez explained. "With help from the medical team, I managed to participate in subsequent games, but the discomfort continued, leading us to decide to halt [playing].

"From that point, rehabilitation and treatment continued without pause. My condition improved enough to allow me some playing time against Aston Villa in the Europa League.

"Regrettably, the discomfort returned following that match. Due to this development, and again working with our technical and medical teams, we've chosen to pause once more to reassess the situation and accurately determine the injury's severity."

Additional details about Álvarez's recovery timeline following this latest setback are anticipated in the upcoming days. However, concerns exist that the injury might necessitate surgery, potentially compromising his World Cup availability. The situation becomes more troubling given its similarity to fellow El Tri star Santiago Giménez's circumstances.

The Injured El Tri Players at Risk of Missing 2026 World Cup

The Injured El Tri Players at Risk of Missing 2026 World Cup

Similar to Álvarez, Giménez continued playing despite an ankle injury until it deteriorated enough to force him to stop. Following conservative treatment, the AC Milan forward underwent surgery in mid-December, with manager Massimiliano Allegri subsequently stating he would be out for "three to four months."

Should Álvarez's ankle problem require comparable surgery, he would face a concerning race against time to be match-ready for the World Cup.

However, Mexico's injury concerns extend far beyond Álvarez and Giménez. Throughout the past eight months, players who seemed virtually certain to be included in Javier Aguirre's World Cup squad have been falling victim to injuries one after another.

Initially, midfielder Luis Chávez sustained an ACL rupture during the 2025 Gold Cup and remains in the midst of his rehabilitation. Young and promising right-back Rodrigo Huescas suffered an identical injury months afterward, virtually eliminating his World Cup prospects.

Center-back Jesús Orozco experienced ligament damage after an ankle dislocation in early December and isn't anticipated to recover before summer. Alexis Vega, Liga MX's standout performer in 2025, continues struggling with knee problems that required surgery after playing just once in four months.

Additionally, both winger César Huerta and rising star Gilberto Mora are receiving treatment for Pubalgia. Both athletes hope to avoid surgical intervention, though Huerta's four-month absence serves as a troubling precedent for Mora, who recently began his own rehabilitation journey.

Injured Mexico National Team Players

Aguirre Reveals He 'Will Wait' for Injured Players

Aguirre Reveals He 'Will Wait' for Injured Players

Mexico kicked off its 2026 campaign this past week with consecutive 1–0 victories over Panama and Bolivia. After Sunday's match against Bolivia, Aguirre addressed questions about Álvarez's injury specifically.

"We dispatched a physiotherapist to evaluate him [Álvarez] last week," Aguirre disclosed. "We were aware of his ankle problem."

Aguirre's statement led to a follow-up inquiry about how patient he and El Tri are prepared to be regarding the numerous injured players whose World Cup status remains questionable.

"Every national squad waits until FIFA mandates the submission of the final roster," Aguirre stated. "We're approximately five months away from the World Cup, and what I've requested from them [players] is to maintain their health and play regularly.

"Subsequently, it becomes our choice to evaluate—or not—those who are fit and active [for the World Cup squad]. It's January, there's still considerable time before the World Cup. We're tracking Huescas, Huerta, Chávez, players who've undergone surgery and are recovering, we're observing their progress.

"We have a representative in Europe who continuously travels to assess all of them and reports on their recovery status. That's the extent of what we can do, stay connected with them, monitor their progress because they're valuable players for us."

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Roberto Casillas is a Sports Illustrated FC freelance writer covering Liga MX, the Mexican National Team & Latin American players in Europe. He is a die hard Cruz Azul and Chelsea fan.