Canadian midfielder Marcelo Flores to miss World Cup following ACL rupture

Tigres' Marcelo Flores grabs his knee after being injured during the CONCACAF Champions Cup final soccer match against Toluca in Toluca, Mexico, Saturday, May 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Canada’s Marcelo Flores will miss this summer’s World Cup after suffering a knee injury.

The 22-year-old winger from Georgetown, Ont., ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup with his Mexican club Tigres UNAL on Saturday, said Canadian team head coach Jesse Marsch.

Flores went down in the 77th minute and left the field in tears as Tigres fell to Toluca in a shootout.

Marsch said he spoke with the young athlete both Saturday night and Sunday morning.

“Obviously, we’re devastated for him,” the coach said in a press conference Sunday.

“Our hearts are with him. He’s in good spirits. He’s already focused on moving forward and getting himself healthy for the future.”

The team was watching the game while eating dinner Saturday night when they saw Flores crumple to the turf.

“Obviously there’s a couple players that have been through that injury and we kind of knew that it could possibly be what it is … He was very important for us, as a person as well as a player,” said Canada’s vice captain Stephen Eustáquio.

Flores has made just two appearances for the national team — both in March’s international window — after switching his allegiance from Mexico in November.

He was not at Canada’s training camp in Charlotte, N.C., last week, but was one of the 10 midfielders named to the country’s 26-player World Cup roster on Friday.

His is the latest in a long list injuries to Canadian players ahead of this summer’s global soccer showcase.

Most of the wounded are expected to return to the national squad before or during the competition, including captain Alphonso Davies.

The 25-year-old Bayern Munich star missed last week’s camp as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. He’s expected to join his teammates Sunday night in his hometown of Edmonton, where Canada will face Uzbekistan in a friendly pre-tournament tune up Monday.

Marsch has said Davies will play at the World Cup, but it’s “unlikely” he’ll be ready for Canada’s first game June 12, a matchup with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto.

• READ MORE: Alphonso Davies headlines Canada’s 26-player World Cup roster

World Cup rules allow Marsch a country to replace any injured player on the 26-man roster up to 24 hours before the first game kicks off. An injured goalkeeper can be replaced at any time throughout the tournament.

Canada’s coach said Sunday he has not made a decision on who will take the vacant spot.

“We have time. So we’re going to take a little time to just evaluate a few different things,” Marsch said.

Three players who did not make Friday’s final cuts remain with the team, including Sporting Kansas City defender Zorhan Bassong, midfielder Jayden Nelson of Austin FC and Ralph Priso, a Vancouver Whitecaps defender who previously played midfielder.

Marsch noted he could also call back a player who was cut from the 26-player roster or someone who did not come to camp in Charlotte, such as national team veteran Junior Hoilet.

“We’re going to get through this match (Monday) and kind of evaluate where things are at and then make a decision probably between the next two matches,” he said.

For now, the Canadians are preparing for the tournament and supporting a teammate who won’t play alongside them.

Everyone texted Flores on Sunday when they learned about the extent of the injury, Eustáquio said.

“We have extra an motivation to go through this World Cup to make him proud as all Canadians,” he said. ”And hopefully at some stage he can meet us and give us his strength.”

Marsch said he has invited Flores to come be around the team at the World Cup after he undergoes knee surgery.

“Our hearts are with him. He’s in good spirits. He’s already focused on moving forward and getting himself healthy for the future,” the coach said.

“He loves the team, he said he’d love to do that and he said one of his favourite things to do is be with this team. We’re thinking about him and we’re devastated for him.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2026.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press