Cabanas holds World Cup dream

Cabanas: Shot in the head

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Salvador Cabanas is determined to make this summer's World Cup, despite recently being shot in the head.

The 29-year-old, who plays his club football for Mexican side America, sustained life-threatening injuries after becoming involved in an argument at a bar in Mexico City on 25th January.

He remains in hospital, where his situation continues to be monitored by medical staff, but has already begun to display positive signs of recovery.

The Paraguayan frontman has begun talking to family and friends and has expressed a desire to make his country's World Cup squad.

Motivation

"It's what he's thinking about, he's spoken to the doctor about it and that's very good because it motivates him," America president Michel Bauer told Televisa.

"He already wants to be training, as well as mentioning the subject of the World Cup."

Cabanas, who played a major role in Paraguay's qualification campaign, has 128 days to prove his fitness ahead of the big kick-off in South Africa on 11th June.

The doctors currently tending to his needs have refused to rule out the possibility of the burly striker making Gerardo Martino's squad, with impressive progress made so far in his rehabilitation.

"Salvador is okay, I know everyone wants to know if he'll play in the World Cup but it's impossible to give a forecast on his footballing life. Scientifically, we can't say," said Aldo Martinez, the Paraguayan national team's chief doctor.