Ambriz the standout on a dismal opening day for Mexican coaches

The start of the 2026 Clausura season painted a tough picture for Mexican coaches in Liga MX. In a league increasingly dominated by foreign managers, Ignacio Ambriz stood out as the lone Mexican coach to open the tournament with a win, guiding León to a result that sharply contrasted with the struggles of his countrymen.

León kicked off the campaign with a comfortable 2–1 victory over Cruz Azul, immediately positioning the club as one of the early standouts of the season.

The win also allowed Ambriz to carry the tricolor banner on a touchline landscape now largely occupied by international coaches. After Week 1, La Fiera sits in third place.

No luck for Ramírez

The story was very different for Mazatlán, led by Christian Ramírez, who couldn’t capitalize on home-field advantage. The Cañoneros fell 1-2 at home to FC Juárez in a match marked by defensive lapses and a lack of finishing. The loss dropped the Sinaloa side to 14th in the standings.

Meanwhile in Mexico City, Pumas—now under Efraín Juárez—managed a 1–1 draw against Querétaro. The point left mixed feelings: the team showed discipline in stretches but lacked the attacking punch needed to tilt the scoreboard. The result places the Auriazules in seventh after the opening weekend.

Mexican coaches outnumbered in the top flight

The results from the opening weekend of action reignited a familiar debate: the shrinking presence of Mexican coaches in the country’s top division. Of the league’s 18 clubs, only three are led by Mexican managers. The rest of the benches are filled by foreign coaches—six from Argentina, four from Spain, two from Uruguay, plus one each from Portugal, Brazil, and Chile—highlighting a trend that continues to reshape Mexican soccer.

Looking ahead to Week 2, the pressure only grows for the three Mexican representatives. Mazatlán head to Puebla hoping to reset their trajectory, León travel to Pachuca aiming to stay perfect, and Pumas face a major test at “El Volcán” - home of Tigres.

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