Mexico’s World Cup hopes were dealt a massive blow with the news that Sevilla winger Jesús Corona suffered a broken leg and ligament damage to his ankle in training.
The club confirmed the news after Corona, also known as Tecatito, suffered the non-contact injury during a drill Thursday. The winger is now expected to miss the next four to five months, ruling him out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar this fall.
“The player was urgently transferred to FREMAP [hospital] to undergo tests that revealed a broken fibula and ligament damage in his left ankle, according to the club’s medical service,” Sevilla said in a statement.
“Tecatito will undergo an operation this afternoon for the injury by Dr. Najarro at the FREMAP hospital. Initially, this type of injury requires a recovery of between four and five months.”
Since 2014, Corona has recorded 71 caps and 10 goals for the Mexican national team, including two appearances at the 2018 World Cup. The 29-year-old also featured in 13 of El Tri’s 14 World Cup qualifiers in the Concacaf Octagonal in helping Mexico qualify for its eighth straight World Cup.
After seven successful seasons with Porto, where he won three Portuguese league titles, Corona joined Sevilla in January. He made 22 appearances for the Spanish side in the second half of last season and started in Sevilla’s La Liga opener last weekend.
Mexico faces a tough road to the knockout stage in Qatar after being grouped with Argentina, Poland and Saudi Arabia. El Tri have advanced to the round of 16 in each of the last seven World Cups, but have not made the quarterfinals since when they served as hosts in 1986.
