César Montes is out of the Mexico national team camp after suffering a minor gluteal tear, forcing Rafael Márquez to reshape his defense just days before his debut as El Tri head coach. The defender will return to Russia to begin rehabilitation with his club, and Club América defender Dagoberto Espinoza has been called up to take his place.
The injury is the latest blow of the young Márquez era. Mexico had already lost Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones for the first matches of the new cycle before Montes was confirmed out. The staff must now prepare for the four friendlies of the September and October FIFA window without one of its experienced center backs.
Montes was part of Márquez’s first squad, a 29-man group named for the two FIFA dates. He picked up the muscle injury in camp at the CAR and was ruled out, leaving the squad thin at center back as the new coach installs his system.
Espinoza will join the squad in New Jersey, where Mexico faces Peru on September 29 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison. He arrives after the Colombia friendly, making Peru his first chance to feature. The call-up is a major opportunity for the América defender, who joins a squad where Márquez is blending veterans with new faces for the cycle toward the 2030 World Cup.
It is the second emergency change to the camp this week. Alan Cervantes left the squad earlier with a muscle issue, and Isaías Violante was moved up to cover his absence.
Mexico opens the Márquez era against Colombia on Saturday, September 26 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. After Peru on September 29, El Tri closes the window with October friendlies against the United States and Chile.
The federation has not announced a recovery timeline for Montes beyond his return to club rehabilitation.
