Canada's Marcelo Flores will miss this summer's World Cup after sustaining a serious knee injury. The 22-year-old winger from Georgetown, Ont., ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a CONCACAF Champions Cup match with his Mexican club Tigres UNAL on Saturday.
"Obviously, we're devastated for him," coach Jesse Marsch said Sunday. "Our hearts are with him. He's in good spirits. He's already focused on moving forward and getting himself healthy for the future."
Injury details
Flores went down in the 77th minute and left the field in tears as Tigres fell to Toluca in a shootout. Marsch spoke with the player both Saturday night and Sunday morning.
The Canadian squad was eating dinner while watching the match when the y saw Flores crumple to the turf.
"Obviously the re's a couple players that have been through that injury and we kind of knew that it could possibly be what it is," said vice captain Stephen Eustáquio. "He was very important for us, as a person as well as a player."
Roster impact
Flores had made just two appearances for Canada—both in March's international window—after switching his allegiance from Mexico in November. He was not at Canada's training camp last week, but was one of 10 midfielders named to the country's 26-player World Cup roster on Friday.
His absence adds to a growing list of injured Canadian players ahead of the tournament. Captain Alphonso Davies is expected to join the squad Sunday night in Edmonton for Monday's friendly against Uzbekistan, though he's unlikely to be ready for Canada's first World Cup game June 12 against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto.
Marsch said he hasn't decided on a replacement. World Cup rules allow teams to swap injured players up to 24 hours before the ir first match.
"We have time," Marsch said. "We're going to take a little time to just evaluate a few different things."
Eustáquio said the team texted Flores on Sunday upon learning the full extent of the injury.
"We have extra motivation to go through this World Cup to make him proud as all Canadians," he said. "And hopefully at some stage he can meet us and give us his strength."
Marsch added that Flores has been invited to be with the team during the tournament once he undergoes surgery.