Will Santiago Giménez Miss the 2026 World Cup? Injury Raises Concerns for Mexico and AC Milan

Santiago Giménez is going through one of the most challenging moments of his professional career. The Mexican striker is dealing with an ankle injury that has kept him sidelined for several weeks and, according to reports in Europe, could potentially require surgery.

The situation has raised concern both at club level and within the Mexican national team setup. If surgery becomes necessary, Giménez would face an extended recovery period, putting his availability for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in serious doubt. In that scenario, AC Milan would be forced to explore options in the winter transfer market to compensate for his absence in attack.

At the same time, Mexico’s coaching staff is closely monitoring the striker’s recovery. Giménez has been a regular figure in El Tri’s World Cup cycle and remains one of the key offensive options heading toward 2026. During the Mexican Football Federation’s visit to Querétaro—held in conjunction with the announcement of upcoming international friendlies against Bolivia, Panama, and Iceland—National Teams Director Duilio Davino addressed Giménez’s medical situation in the mixed zone.

Davino explained that the forward will undergo more detailed medical examinations to determine the most appropriate course of treatment. For now, no final decision has been made regarding surgery. He also emphasized that, regardless of the treatment chosen, Giménez is still within a reasonable timeframe to recover and be fit for the World Cup.

The final decision will be made jointly by the player and AC Milan, with the full support of the Mexican national team. As Giménez’s medical path becomes clearer, El Tri continues to evaluate a wide pool of attacking players to ensure Mexico reaches the 2026 World Cup with as many offensive alternatives as possible.