Club América announced that Mexico national team goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón suffered an Achilles tear during Tuesday's Concacaf Champions Cup win over the Philadelphia Union. The non-contact injury requires surgery and will rule him out of the World Cup.
"The medical tests performed on Luis Ángel Malagón show a rupture of the Achilles tendon," revealed the Liga MX team on Wednesday. "Our goalkeeper will undergo surgical treatment. His recovery time will be determined by his progress."
Malagón hit the ground in pain during the first half of the 1-0 win over the Union after sustaining a non-contact injury to his left foot. He was forced off the field on a stretcher and replaced in the 42nd minute by backup Rodolfo Cota.
The Club América star had been a fixture in Javier Aguirre's Mexico squads, and he had emerged as a candidate to start in goal for the national team at the 2026 World Cup.
"I feel hurt, sad, and with my soul in pieces. Trying to make sense of it all and asking, 'Why?'" the 29-year-old keeper wrote on Instagram just hours after suffering the injury.
"There are moments in life that are hard to understand, especially when you have always walked a straight line and acted in good faith. Today, with all the pain in my heart, I want to thank everyone and my teammates for their kind words and prayers," Malagón added.
With Malagón out, Chivas goalkeeper Raúl "Tala" Rangel appears to have a slight lead for Mexico's No. 1 spot in the World Cup. Santos Laguna's Carlos Acevedo and 40-year-old legend Guillermo Ochoa are also options to start in goal for 'El Tri' at the tournament.
As for Club América, Cota is now set to be the new starter for the Mexico City side, which will host Mazatlan at home in Liga MX play this Sunday, and then host the Union on March 18 in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 series.
