Manuel Lanzini has been forced to withdraw from Argentina's World Cup squad due to injury, and he's since broken his silence by penning an emotional message on social media.
The creative West Ham midfielder ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during training on Friday.
As a a result, River Plate's Enzo Perez has been drafted in ahead of their opening fixture against Iceland.
And the heartbreak of missing out on a childhood dream has Lanzini feeling very dejected.
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He's portrayed that sentiment through a tearful message online.
"This publication is to tell you that there is more suffering and pain that I feel for what happened to me, for being so close to fulfilling the dream I dreamed of as a kid as it was to play a World Cup, not being able to do it," he wrote on Instagram.
Lanzini added: "Beyond all this, I am very grateful to you for having sent me so nice messages of support, affection and good energies.
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"Thank my family that they always see a positive side to this and that makes me very well and for restraining me.
"I also want to thank my colleagues who were in charge of doing everything possible to make me feel good and not to spend such a painful day.
"Also send them many strengths and hopefully they can achieve the goal was raised from the beginning. All together for a dream.
"And I repeat to you again, THANK YOU for your support, so now I think about a good recovery and getting well for what comes to me from my career."
Get well soon, Manuel.
Topics: Football News, Football, Argentina, World Cup
