For several years, Club America was one of the most solid teams in Mexican soccer, both because of the quality of its players and the way it played.
That image, at least in this Clausura 2026, is beginning to change.
After 13 rounds, America is in sixth place with 18 points, in a tournament where the results have not managed to maintain the same line. The 1-1 draw against Santos left mixed feelings, while the 1-0 defeat against Pumas, defined in the last minutes, ended up reflecting a problem that has been repeated: competing, but without closing the games.
Even in the 2-0 victory against Mazatlan, the team showed specific moments, rather than a consistent version throughout the game
And while that is happening, on the other side the story begins to take another form.
Chivas have gone from being that team that always looked but never found, to one that today converts that intention into results.
With 31 points and already qualified for the Liguilla, the team not only leads the tournament, but has also built its momentum game by game. The 5-0 win over Leon marked one of its most convincing performances, the 3-2 win over Monterrey as visitors confirmed its ability to respond in demanding scenarios, and the victory over Atlas reinforced the connection with its fans.
Even in a match like the 2-2 draw against Pumas, where the result was decided in the final minutes, the team showed that insistence that it did not always achieve before.
That’s where the change starts to show.
Players like Armando “Hormiga” Gonzalez reflect this moment, in a team that today not only proposes, but also sustains what it builds. On the other hand, names like Raphael Veiga have contributed, but without changing the general dynamics of America.
The contrast is not only on the court
While Chivas is living in an atmosphere of confidence and euphoria, America has begun to live with doubt, in a tournament where the difference is no longer minimal.
And it is better understood when looking back.
In 2025, America finished with 34 points and above Chivas, who had 29. Today, that order is reversed. Chivas has already surpassed its record from the previous tournament and remains at the top, while America, with 18 points, is far from that level.
The tournament still has a long way to go, but the present already points in a certain direction.
Because if before America was the team that imposed conditions, today it is Chivas who, at least for now, is taking control.
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