The outcome may have been disappointing, but Orbelín Pineda enjoyed his time at the World Cup with Mexico. The AEK midfielder shared his own reflection after Mexico’s elimination by England in the Round of 16.

“An adventure is coming to an end—one that will forever be etched in my heart.

Thank you, Mexico, for being with us every step of the way, for believing in us, for cheering us on from every corner of the world, and for making us feel your strength in every game. Your support was our motivation and our pride.

Defending these colors and representing our nation at a World Cup was a privilege I will carry with me for the rest of my life. We leave with our heads held high, having learned valuable lessons and with the certainty that we gave everything for this jersey.

Thank you to my family, my teammates, the coaching staff, and above all, the Mexican people. We’re not done yet: we’ll keep working to come back stronger.

Long live Mexico!”

The 30-year-old star came off the bench in two of Mexico’s matches: against South Korea (1-0) in the group stage and against Ecuador (2-0) in the Round of 32. Now, after about two weeks off, he’ll be available to AEK starting in the third ten-day period of July.

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A post shared by Orbelin Pineda(@orbelin7pineda)

*photo source: AP