Mexico national team captain Edson Álvarez has struggled massively throughout 2025–26, but his situation has only grown more dire since the turn of the year and his place in El Tri’s 2026 World Cup roster could be jeopardized by injury and competition for minutes at club level.

Álvarez fell out of favor at West Ham United at the start of the season, forcing him to search for a new home and join Turkish Süper Lig giants Fenerbahçe on loan. Jose Mourinho was in charge of Fenerbahçe when Álvarez arrived in Türkiye, but by the time the midfielder made his debut, the manager that pushed for his signing had already been sacked.

Things haven’t improved for the 28-year-old since. Álvarez initially struggled for consistency after rapidly picking up a hamstring injury and has been forced to manage his minutes all term.

But as the calendar turned to 2026, Álvarez’s woes have reached worrying heights, and two specific factors threaten to make his previously undisputed spot in Mexico’s 2026 World Cup roster come into question.