Mexico captain Edson Álvarez will miss the remainder of the Copa América with a hamstring injury, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has confirmed.
Álvarez was injured in the first half of his side’s Copa América opener against Jamaica, falling to the turf while sprinting without contact from any player.
On Tuesday night, the FMF released a statement confirming Álvarez would be out for the tournament, though it didn’t specify a timeframe for his return.
Álvarez also released a video message confirming his absence for the remainder of the tournament.
“Unfortunately, my participation in Copa America has come to an end,” Álvarez said. “I have no words — the truth is that it is a hard blow for me because I had that dream as much as my teammates have it, but sometimes these things happen in football and I will have to learn and grow from all this.
“But I wanted to let you know that I have made the decision to stay with the team until the end, to support and encourage them, as I always have done. Now it will be my turn off the field. It will also help my rehabilitation and return as soon as possible.”
The loss of Álvarez is a huge blow for El Tri, which relies on the 26-year-old for his leadership and quality on the field. After completing his first season with West Ham, the midfielder has recently been linked with a move to Manchester United.
Mexico is back in action on Wednesday night against Venezuela, before closing out group play against Ecuador on Sunday.
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