GOETTINGEN, Germany — The father of Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez died Wednesday of a heart attack, leaving his son's status for the World Cup uncertain.
Felipe Sanchez died in the family's hometown of Guadalajara, where Oswaldo Sanchez plays for Chivas, team spokesman Juan Jose Kochen said. The younger Sanchez was notified of his father's death around midnight German time, or mid-afternoon in Guadalajara.
Team and federation officials met early this morning at their hotel to determine whether Sanchez would be available for Mexico's World Cup opener Sunday against Iran in Nuremberg, or if he would return for his father's funeral.
Guillermo Cantu, the national team coordinator, said at a chaotic news conference outside the hotel that Sanchez was still in Goettingen and no decision would be announced until later today.
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"Tomorrow, we will have more details," Cantu said through an interpreter. "Now, at this moment, I am asking the press for privacy for the entire family and for Oswaldo."
Cantu said the Mexican federation had notified FIFA, soccer's international governing body, of the goalkeeper's situation.
The younger Sanchez, 32, had been coach Ricardo Lavolpe's clear choice to start after being a reserve for Mexico in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
Lavolpe has two other keepers on his roster, Jesus Corona and Guillermo Ochoa, but neither has much international experience.
Cantu had already been scheduled to hold an early-afternoon news conference at the team's training ground in Goettingen, following the team's closed practice session on Thursday.
France's Cisse out
SAINT-ETIENNE, France — French forward Djibril Cisse will miss the World Cup after his right leg buckled during Wednesday night's 3-1 win over China in a warm-up.
"Everyone is devastated," France coach Raymond Domenech said. "He is in the hospital. He is being operated on. I'm not a doctor. I don't know the exact nature of the injury."
Cisse chased the ball down the right flank in the 10th minute and was knocked off balance. As he fell, Cisse's leg twisted under him. He left the field on a stretcher.
Rooney OK to play
BADEN-BADEN, Germany — Wayne Rooney was cleared to rejoin England's World Cup squad after an eventful day trip to Manchester for a scan on his injured foot.