Santiago Gimenez stretchered off during Mexico’s World Cup loss to England, adding injury crisis to host nation’s tournament woes
The AC Milan striker's ankle injury in stoppage time caps a brutal night for Mexico as co-hosts face an uphill battle in their own World Cup
Santiago Gimenez, Mexico’s most dangerous attacking weapon, was stretchered off the pitch and rushed to a hospital after suffering a right ankle injury in the 98th minute of his team’s World Cup loss to England. The scene at Estadio Azteca was about as grim as it gets for a host nation: your star striker crumpled on the turf, a stretcher rolling out, and a stadium full of home fans watching their tournament hopes dim in real time.
The injury occurred as Gimenez twisted his ankle while making a desperate attempt to equalize late in stoppage time.
What we know about the injury
Mexico manager Javier Aguirre confirmed after the match that Gimenez had been transported directly from the stadium to a hospital for treatment.
“We need to check Santi because he is at the hospital right now.”
Gimenez had already been dealing with ankle problems heading into the tournament. He had reportedly been training separately from the main squad earlier in the competition, managing the issue carefully in hopes of being available for the biggest matches.
A nightmare scenario for the host nation
Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the US and Canada. Estadio Azteca, one of the most iconic venues in football history, was supposed to be a fortress.