A year to forget: Club América’s failures in 2025
América came into 2025 in the midst of a period of domination - but the wheels came off at the club over the past 12 months.
2025 will go down as one of the most painful chapters in Club América’s recent history. A team that had just authored a dominant era - breaking records, winning back‑to‑back titles, and claiming an unprecedented three‑peat - finished the year without lifting a single trophy.
América opened 2025 as the team to beat. Reigning champions, with André Jardine firmly established and a roster balanced between proven leaders and rising ambition, everything pointed toward the consolidation of a historic project.
Instead, tournament after tournament, Las Águilas lost stability, authority, and answers - closing out 2025 with an overwhelming sense of failure.
Concachampions: The first blow
The first major setback came in the Concachampions, one of the club’s top priorities for the year. After taking down Chivas, the quarterfinal matchup against Cruz Azul exposed the first cracks. The series was tight, but Ángel Sepúlveda delivered in key moments, sealing América’s elimination at Ciudad Universitaria and once again derailing their international ambitions.
Clausura 2025: The dream of a four‑peat
In Liga MX, América seemed to regain its footing. The team finished second in the regular season and advanced confidently through the playoffs, knocking out Pachuca and Cruz Azul to reach the final. The dream of a historic fourth straight title was alive - until Toluca emerged as the rival that would rewrite the script.
The Clausura 2025 final was decided decisively in the second leg. Goals from Luan García and Alexis Vega extinguished América’s hopes. Once again, the club fell just short, adding another emotional blow to a project that had previously thrived under pressure.
The Club World Cup that never came
The most painful episode of the year happened outside the traditional calendar. The Club World Cup playoff against Los Angeles FC - organized after León’s exclusion - presented a historic opportunity. América took the lead and controlled long stretches of the match, but defensive errors and a lack of finishing touch opened the door for a late comeback from the MLS side in the final minutes and extra time.
Campeón de Campeones: Toluca strikes again
The second half of the year began with the Campeón de Campeones - once again against Toluca. Another defeat, another runners‑up medal, and confirmation that Los Diablos Rojos had become a recurring nightmare. América kept absorbing blows and began showing clear signs of emotional and footballing fatigue.
Leagues Cup: Another international failure
The Leagues Cup appeared to be a new chance to salvage the year, but the revamped format ended up sinking Las Águilas. Draws, penalty shootouts, and a premature elimination - without even playing the final scheduled match - reinforced the growing feeling of international disappointment.
Apertura 2025: The bitter final chapter
In the Apertura 2025, América remained competitive in the regular season and qualified directly for the playoffs. But Monterrey delivered the final punch. After losing the first leg but seemingly mounting a comeback, a Germán Berterame header buried any remaining hope - and marked Jardine’s first early playoffs exit.
Six tournaments, zero titles
The final balance is stark: Concachampions, Clausura 2025, Club World Cup playoff, Campeón de Campeones, Leagues Cup, and Apertura 2025 - six competitions, six failures.
América went from dominating Mexican soccer to questioning its entire identity in a matter of months. The challenge now is to rebuild without losing its essence - to prove Las Águilas flight can resume, and that 2025 was a temporary patch of turbulence, not the end of the journey.
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