From Chivas to the global spotlight: Mexico’s rival to Lamine Yamal
A striker in a rich vein of form, Chivas Guadalajara’s Armando González appears in international rankings alongside European starlets.
Armando “Hormiga” González’s performances in Mexican soccer are beginning to draw attention well beyond Liga MX. The Chivas Guadalajara striker is in one of the most productive stretches of his career, and his scoring impact is now being compared with that of some of Europe’s brightest young stars - including Barcelona’s rising phenom Lamine Yamal.
González has racked up 20 goals across the Apertura 2025 and the current Clausura 2026, numbers that place him among the most lethal attackers in Mexican soccer today. His goals‑per‑match average also puts him in the same conversation as the most efficient young strikers across the major leagues worldwide. In fact, the Mexican has the same total number of goals as Yamal when counting all competitions Barcelona has played this season - including LaLiga, the Spanish Super Cup and the Champions League.
González’s scoring prowess has earned him a spot in international rankings that evaluate the performance of under‑23 forwards across first divisions around the globe. On these lists, the striker even appears above Europe‑based talents such as Brazil’s Endrick, currently at Lyon, as well as Yamal and Argentina’s Alejandro Garnacho, plus Slovenia’s Benjamin Šeško and Brazil’s Vitor Roque.
World Cup in González’s sights
On the domestic front, “La Hormiga” is also locked in a tight race for the Clausura 2026 Golden Boot. He has eight goals and sits in second place on the scoring charts, trailing only Atlético San Luis forward João Pedro, who leads him by two.
The Mexican striker’s breakout form arrives at a crucial moment on the road to the 2026 World Cup. González shared the league scoring title last season and is now chasing a repeat, all while keeping alive the hope of convincing head coach Javier Aguirre and earning a spot on Mexico’s final roster for the World Cup.
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