César Montes will miss Mexico’s upcoming international fixtures after being ruled out with a glute strain, the Mexican Football Federation confirmed. The defender, known as "El Cachorro," trained separately from the squad before the medical team decided he would not participate in the FIFA dates scheduled for September and October.
Montes’ absence leaves a gap in Mexico’s defensive line ahead of crucial matches. Club América’s Dagoberto Espinoza has been called up as his replacement. Espinoza’s inclusion comes at a critical time, with the team already managing several injury concerns.
The squad’s list of injured players includes Alan Cervantes, who has also been sidelined. Meanwhile, Jéremy Márquez did not finish the latest training session due to tightness in his back, raising further questions about his availability. Santiago Giménez is another player currently training separately after suffering a strain in his right adductor, although he is expected to rejoin the group by Thursday.
The Mexican team faces a testing period with these fitness issues just as they prepare for important international matches. The federation has not provided specific timelines for the return of Montes or the others, leaving the coaching staff to adapt their plans accordingly.
Montes’ injury is the latest setback for the national side, which had hoped to field a full-strength squad during the FIFA international window. The defender’s experience and presence at the back will be missed, putting additional pressure on the replacements to maintain defensive stability.
At the moment, the squad continues to monitor the condition of Márquez and Giménez closely, with the medical staff conducting assessments to determine their readiness. The team’s ability to cope with these absences could influence their performance in the upcoming fixtures.
The Mexican Football Federation has not announced any further changes to the squad beyond the confirmed addition of Espinoza. Training sessions will continue under close observation as the team prepares to face its international opponents without Montes.
According to Yahoo Sports.