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Star NYCFC forward Alonso Martinez out with knee injury in playoff blow
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- Star NYCFC forward Alonso Martinez out with knee injury in playoff blow
NYCFC
New York City FC has taken a massive hit.
Star forward Alonso Martínez suffered a knee injury during international duty with the Costa Rica men's national team on Thursday, NYCFC confirmed in a statement on Saturday.
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While NYCFC's release was light on details, multiple reports on Friday night painted a bleak picture for the club's leading scorer, indicating he tore his ACL and would be out for the next eight-to-nine months.
New York City forward Alonso Martínez, left, and Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream compete for the ball during the first half of Game 2 in the first round of MLS soccer's Eastern Conference playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
The injury had reportedly been sustained during Costa Rica's World Cup qualifying match against Haiti in Curaçao.
New York City FC said in a statement that Alonso returned to New York "for further evaluation" and that updates would be provided in the coming days.
Martinez made a heartfelt post on his Instagram Story on Saturday afternoon, thanking fans for the support and promising to return.
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"From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all of the support, for the encouraging messages that have come to me. I have no words to thank you, may God bless you!" he wrote, translated from Spanish. "Thanks to the doctors of the Federation, thanks to my club [New York City FC], who have been behind me since Day 1 of my injury. With God's help, we will come back stronger, I have no doubt about that!"
Alonso Martínez of New York City moves the ball as Rodrigo Schlegel of Orlando City defends. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
NYCFC teammate Matt Freese told The Post after the U.S. Men's National Team win over Paraguay that he had not seen an official update on Martinez, but said he was "hoping for the best" for him.
"Forget everything about the team, but you know, just on a personal level, he's a great player, so I hope he's alright," Freese said.
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The loss is a devastating blow to both Costa Rica, which is still trying to secure a spot in the World Cup next summer, and NYCFC, which is in the midst of a playoff run.
Martinez was NYCFC's leading scorer during the regular season, posting 17 goals and finding the back of the net twice during his club's first-round series win over Charlotte FC .
NYCFC was already going into their conference semifinal match against the Philadelphia Union without Andrés Perea , who underwent surgery to repair a lower leg fracture he suffered in Game 3 against Charlotte.
NYCFC will face the Union next Sunday.
