It’s official, Jesús “Tecatito” Corona out of the FIFA World Cup

924

Mexican winger Tecatito Corona has been ruled out of World Cup with an ankle injury.

Mexico National Team and Sevilla winger Jesus Manuel “Tecatito” Corona has been ruled out of the World Cup two weeks before his country’s opener against Poland.

The 29-year-old has not recovered in time to feature at the tournament in Qatar after breaking his left fibula and rupturing his ankle ligaments in August.

Corona was ruled out for four to five months which left Mexico manager Gerardo Martino sweating over the fitness of one of his key players.

However, Mexico’s Football Federation has now confirmed Corona will not be in Mexico’s final 26-man World Cup squad.

Their statement read: “The men’s national team, together with head coach Gerardo Martino and Jesus Manuel Corona, inform you that the player cannot be part of Mexico’s World Cup plans for Qatar 2022.

“This is due to the player having not completed his recovery after suffering an injury in August this year. The national team will continue to monitor his progress and hopes that Jesus has a successful return to the pitch very soon.”

Martino previously said he would wait until the “last minute” before making a decision on Corona and Raul Jimenez.

He said in September: “The only ones who will take us to the last minute are Jesus (Corona) and Raul (Jimenez). When the medical staff asked me how long I was going to wait to decide, I told them that November 14.”

Martino named a 31-man provisional squad on October 26 which he will whittle down to 26 players by November 14.

Wolves’ Jimenez, who has played just four games for his club this season due to a groin problem, has been rehabilitating from his injury in Mexico.

Mexico faces Iraq on November 9, and Sweden next Wednesday, Nov. 16 in pre-World Cup friendly matches before taking on Poland, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia in Group C of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Mexico Daily Post