GEORGETOWN, ONTARIO — Marcelo Flores tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing for Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup against Toluca on June 20, 2026, ruling him out of Canada’s 2026 World Cup squad just one day after being named to the roster. Flores was forced off the field in the 77th minute after his foot appeared to catch in the turf while dribbling inside the opposition box.
Flores went down in visible distress and was unable to put weight on his leg, requiring assistance to leave the pitch before being placed in a leg brace. Tigres coach Guido Pizarro said, “Marcelo’s outlook is not encouraging.” He added that the player felt his knee “gave out.” Tests later confirmed the ACL tear, and Canada head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed Flores would miss the World Cup.
“Obviously, we're devastated for him. Our hearts are with him. He’s in good spirits. He’s already focused on moving forward and getting himself healthy for the future,” Marsch said. Canada vice-captain Stephen Eustáquio added, “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.”
Flores, born in Canada to a Mexican father, was eligible to represent both nations and had previously played for Mexico before filing a FIFA one-time switch to join Canada. He joined Arsenal’s academy from Ipswich Town in 2019 and signed his first professional contract with the club in 2020. He trained regularly with the first team under Mikel Arteta but never made a senior competitive appearance. In 2023, he transferred to Tigres UANL for a fee of €815,000.
Despite his injury, Flores has been invited to join Canada’s World Cup squad post-surgery in a non-playing capacity. Under tournament rules, Canada’s coach has until 24 hours before the team’s first World Cup match to name Flores’ replacement. That decision will be evaluated after Canada’s Monday friendly against Uzbekistan.