The curse of the two-time champion. Can América overcome it?
As if planned, the Mexican national team’s participation in the Copa América has ended and immediately the action resumes in Liga MX. The start date was always set for July 5th; however, it was expected that by this time the national team would still be in competition.
Last night, the national team players returned to Mexican territory. They did so quietly, as they are forbidden to speak with the media (another topic that warrants further analysis).
But enough about the Mexican national team. The failure is behind us, and now it’s time to focus on our reality, which is Liga MX. As usual, with the start of each tournament, the bets and predictions for the title favorite begin immediately.
For a long time now, these predictions have consistently included the same teams, and we typically categorize the contenders into three distinct tiers:
- América, Monterrey, Tigres.
Due to their squad strength and economic power, these two teams from Monterrey and the two-time champion are always expected to contend for the title. Any other outcome should be considered a failure.
- Cruz Azul, Pachuca, León, Toluca, Chivas, Pumas.
One step below are these teams, who are often fighting to qualify and reach the playoffs, though not with the same obligation and expectation as the first group mentioned. La Máquina had a great tournament last semester and has reinforced itself well. Without a doubt, one of the teams that, even being in the second tier, look poised to compete for top positions.
- Santos, San Luis, Juárez, Atlas, Necaxa, Puebla, Querétaro, Mazatlán, Tijuana.
At the bottom are teams that typically don’t compete at the highest levels each tournament. There are cases like Atlético de San Luis, which has been working well in recent years and has definitely moved closer to the second tier than to the bottom group. Santos will begin a project with Nacho Ambríz. Tijuana will seek to break free from years of poor results under Juan Carlos Osorio’s leadership. Puebla and Mazatlán have turned to seasoned coaches in Chepo de la Torre and Vucetich to stabilize their teams. Necaxa aims to replicate their performance from last season under Lalo Fentanes and finally reach the final rounds.
Conclusion, all of these teams will fight with their strengths to have a dignified tournament that brings them closer to their goals. Most would be satisfied with reaching the playoffs.
But let’s return to discussing the top teams. Is a third consecutive championship possible for América?
In Mexican football history, there have been several instances of back-to-back championships; Pumas, León, Atlas, and América are the teams that can boast of this feat, but no one has managed to add a third to that tally.
Furthermore, the trend shows that teams who achieve consecutive titles often face a significant decline in the third tournament.
Pumas won the bicampeonato and finished 16th in the subsequent tournament. In León’s case, the drop wasn’t as drastic, but they still finished 10th and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Atlas had the worst outcome, finishing second to last with only 13 points.
Does motivation wane? Do players tire? Do departures impact the team? Does the coach no longer influence the players?
The answer isn’t clear, otherwise, this pattern wouldn’t repeat. The reality is that Club América will strive to defy this trend as they aim to make history and extend their dominance in Mexican football.
Are you ready for the start of Mexican football? Bet on all the matches and add more excitement to the games at mexplay.mx
Double your first deposit up to $5,000 to bet on sports and casino games at www.mexplay.mx
Reporter and driver
Cover one of the biggest teams in Mexico;
He was a correspondent in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
One of the new faces in the industry who has found his place thanks to his preparation and adaptation, especially in digital media.
