Carlos Acevedo abandons Mexican national team with shoulder injury

Goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo has withdrawn from Mexico’s Nations League and Gold Cup rosters, after suffering a setback to his shoulder injury. 

The Santos Laguna figure was set to start in the friendly against Cameroon on Saturday, before being replaced by Luis Angel Malagon when complaining of a strain during the warm-up ahead of kick off. El Tri later confirmed he suffered 'indirect trauma'.

The goalkeeper originally hurt his shoulder during the 2023 Liga MX Clausura, falling awkwardly when attempting a save against Queretaro. He saw a short two weeks on the sidelines, returning for the entirety of the quarterfinal series against Rayados de Monterrey despite the lingering side effects. 

Given the persistent nature of the injury, Acevedo will undergo surgery and further medical treatment in Texas. Tijuana goalkeeper Jose Antonio Rodriguez now replaces him on the roster, joining Guillermo Ochoa and Luis Angel Malagon.

His departure is a huge blow for the Mexican national team, as the Santos Laguna figure was set to earn valuable minutes under head coach Diego Cocca in a bid to establish himself as the next starting goalkeeper. Though Guillermo Ochoa currently holds the honor, Cocca insists introducing younger figures to the line up will gradually allow El Tri to no longer depend on the veterans.

Since taking the reins of El Tri in March, Cocca has advocated for a much-needed generational change within the team. His efforts to propel transition can be seen in the latest rosters for the upcoming Concacaf tournaments, replacing the likes of Hector Herrera, Hector Moreno and Alfredo Talavera with Julian Araujo, Luis Angel Malagon and Ozziel Herrera.

El Tri prepares to face the U.S. men's national team in the semifinals on June 15 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with the hopes of reaching the finals against Panama or Canada before moving on to the Gold Cup on June 25.