Walter Centeno, captain of Costa Rica's national soccer team, will miss Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Mexico due to an injury in his right leg, the Costa Rica Football Federation said on Friday.

"Because of the type of injury it was necessary to give the player time and measure his state of health," team doctor Alejandro Ramirez told reporters.

"Although the player indicated he felt well, medical tests showed he is not 100 percent fit to face the Mexican team," said Ramirez.

Centeno has been reporting problems since the beginning of the Costa Rican team's full-week training session, raising doubts about his availability for the match, due in the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, in the north of the capital San Jose.

Including Saturday's match, Centeno has now missed three games against Mexico this year. He also missed the March 28 qualifier due to suspension resulting from red card and the Gold Cup semifinal on July 23 because of a different injury.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2009)