Álex Zendejas
RW
Wide Forward
Feb 7, 1998 (28)
Left
5'6"
146 lb
Undergoes knee cleanup surgery
Zendejas is sidelined for an undisclosed period following successful arthroscopic cleanup of his right knee, his club announced Wednesday.
Analysis: Zendejas is one of the most dangerous wide attackers in Liga MX, a player whose pace, dribbling, and direct goal threat from the flanks and central zones make him a top fantasy asset when fully fit, so any procedure on his knee ahead of the Apertura season is worth monitoring closely. The club stopped short of attaching a specific date to his return, though he's reportedly set for a four-to-six-week recovery timeline, which would put him in line to return sometime during the early weeks of the tournament rather than missing it entirely. Zendejas' return could be managed carefully, as a knee cleanup that gets rushed can easily extend into a longer absence than initially projected. The attacker missed his team's preseason work due to his participation with the USMNT at the World Cup, where he logged only 13 minutes of play. At the club level, players such as Isaias Violante and Raphael Veiga should benefit from increased roles while Zendejas is out.
Makes World Cup debut
Zendejas generated one shot (zero on goal) and one cross (zero accurate) in Thursday's 3-2 defeat against Turkey.
Analysis: Zendejas entered as part of a triple substitution late in Thursday's 3-2 World Cup loss to Turkiye, replacing Brenden Aaronson as manager Mauricio Pochettino looked for a spark with the United States level at 2-2. He couldn't help produce the late breakthrough, as Turkiye struck deep into stoppage time to steal all three points just minutes after his introduction. Despite the limited minutes, Zendejas recorded one shot, one cross and one tackle in his World Cup debut. The defeat ultimately carried no consequences for the United States, which had already locked up first place in Group D and will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1.
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