LIGA MX
Alexis Vega’s role at Toluca: where will he fit in?
The 26-year-old winger is back where he started with his first club after spending the last five years at one of Mexico’s biggest sides.
One of the players who has most been in the spotlight in recent years in Mexican football is Alexis Vega. The 26-year-old left winger was signed by Chivas in January 2019, entrusted with guiding the team to a new Liga MX title. Unfortunately, that title never arrived and Vega is moving on without having won any silverware at all and through the back door after failing to comply with disciplinary issues.
Return home
Vega has returned to his first club, Deportivo Toluca - joining Renato Paiva’s squad for the Clausura 2024. His quality has never been in doubt - for a long time he was the Rebaño Sagrado’s star player although now he must recover the kind of form that will put him in contention for this year’s Copa América.
For that to happen, he will need a regular place in the starting XI. He will be competing with the likes of Jean Meneses and Maximiliano Araújo. The latter could give greater depth cutting in from the left, leaving either Meneses or Vega to perform functions through the middle with one of the two starting out wide on the right.
In Toluca’s opening Clausura 2024 game, away at Querétaro, Paiva fielded a line of four playing behind Pedro Raul - the first signs of a new project that is underway in the State of Mexico. If the 5-4-1 formation is maintained, Alexis could form a partnership with Marcel Ruiz to provide service to Pedro Raul or Gacelo López.
Vega’s new objectives
Beyond not having been able to get the long-awaited championship with Chivas, Alexis Vega now has to return to the best level with the Choriceros so that they can end their barren run in the Liga MX. The club has not lifted the trophy since the Bicentennial 2010 - something thy are keen to change. This tournament will be a fundamental one for Vega in particular, as it will be an opportunity to sneak into Jimmy Lozano’s list for Copa América 2024.
Vega made just one appearance for Mexico in 2023 - playing the first hour of a friendly against Australia in September. He missed the rest of the national team’s engagements through suspension, injury or tactical decision.