Gaining a solid foothold
Dos Santos brothers and Vela lead MLS contingent headed for the World Cup.
Brothers Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos of the Galaxy and forward Carlos Vela of the Los Angeles Football Club were selected Monday to Mexico’s 23-man World Cup roster, but Vela’s LAFC teammate Laurent Ciman wasn’t as fortunate, with the central defender failing to make the final cut for the Belgium team.
However, Ciman remains on standby should Vincent Kompany, Manchester City’s often-injured center back, be unable to play.
Two other LAFC players, defender Omar Gaber of Egypt and forward Marco Urena of Costa Rica, already had been selected to their nations’ World Cup teams. A fifth LAFC player, defender Steven Beitashour, was trimmed from Iran’s preliminary World Cup roster last month.
Despite the failure of the U.S. team to qualify for this month’s tournament in Russia, Major League Soccer will be represented by 19 players on six teams. Costa Rica and Panama will have six MLS players each.
With the Dos Santos brothers’ participation, the Galaxy keep alive a streak in which they have sent at least one player to every World Cup since the team’s founding in 1996.
Four years ago, the league sent 21 players to the World Cup in Brazil but 10 were on the U.S. team.
There were some surprising roster moves Monday, with defending champion Germany dropping midfielder Leroy Sane of Manchester City, who had 15 assists in the English Premier League this season. However, Germany coach Joachim Low selected goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who hasn’t played a minute of competitive soccer since undergoing foot surgery in September.
Chelsea forward Alvaro Morata did not make Spain’s roster despite tying for the country’s scoring lead in World Cup qualifying. Also cut were midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Javi Martinez.
Argentina cut Inter Milan star Mauro Icardi, who has scored 97 goals in the last four seasons in Italy, and France left out Manchester United forward Anthony Martial.
In addition to the Dos Santos brothers and Vela, Mexico’s roster includes 39year-old midfielder Rafa Marquez, who is part of his fifth World Cup team, and 20-year-old defender Edson Alvarez, who is making his debut in the tournament. Andres Guardado, a midfielder, also made the cut despite undergoing surgery last month for a nerve issue in a leg.
The World Cup kicks off June 14 in Moscow.