A leg injury has ended the dream of playing in this year’s World Cup for Lompoc’s Julian Araujo.
The international soccer player was expected to be named to the roster of Mexico’s National Team but a quadriceps injury suffered in March while playing for Scotland’s Celtic Football Club derailed his chance of being selected to the squad by coach Javier Aguirre.
Before the injury, Araujo, 24, was seen as a possible starter at right fullback for Aguirre, who named his 26-man roster on Monday.
The injury, suffered during a Scottish Cup quarterfinal match against rival Rangers, also ended Araujo’s season in Scotland. He was on loan to Celtic from English Premier League club Bournemouth and made 13 appearances in all competitions. He scored a 97th-minute game-winning goal against Kimarnock FC in February.
Araujo shared his feelings about the setback in a heart-felt message on Instagram. He wrote:
“I don’t have all the answers right now, but I trust that everything happens for a reason and that God is guiding every step of this journey.
“I’m truly grateful to Celtic Football Club for welcoming me from day one and making Glasgow feel like home. Wearing this badge and experiencing the passion, history, and energy of this club is something I’ll carry with me forever.
“To my teammates and coaches – thank you for everything we shared this season. I’ll be behind you all the way and have no doubt in what this group can achieve.
“This isn’t the way I imagined this season ending, but it’s part of the story. I’ll take this moment, grow through it, and come back stronger than ever.”
Araujo’s professional career has included stints with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, Spanish giant Barcelona and Las Palmas of Spain’s La Liga.
Araujo holds dual U.S./Mexico citizenship and played with U.S. Soccer teams before submitting a change with FIFA to join Mexico in 2021.
Mexico is in Group A of the World Cup and opens the tournament at home on June 11 against South Africa. They face South Korea on June 18 and Czechia on June 24.
