Liga MX struggles again at the Club World Cup
Although Monterrey advance, Pachuca were roundly beaten and finished the first round with zero points.
Since the very start of the Club World Cup, Mexican soccer has been a near ever-present at the global competition.
The likes of América, Pachuca, Rayados de Monterrey, Cruz Azul, Atlante and Chivas have all represented Liga MX on the world stage, but it is Tigres UANL that have made it the furthest.
In 2021 Tigres became the first, and so far only, Concacaf team to reach the final of the FIFA tournament. They beat Brazilian side Palmeiras in the semi-final that year, but came up against a strong Bayern Munich team who picks up their sixth trophy in 12 months.
At lot has changed for the 2025 tournament, which now had 32 participants from all six confederations affiliated with FIFA. Pachuca and Monterrey were the two representatives this time around but only the latter will advance beyond the group stages. Pachuca were eliminated after only scoring two goals and conceding seven at the tournament under Jaime Lozano’s command. They did not pick up a single point.
What has been Liga MX’s worst Club World Cup performance?
In 2018, Chivas Rayadas del Guadalajara qualified for the tournament held in the United Arab Emirates after winning the Concacaf Champions League with Matías Almeyda. After disagreements with the board, the Argentine coach left the team and was replaced by José Saturnino Cardozo.
In their first match Chivas began positively but ended up losing 3-2 against the Kashima Antlers of Japan. They played one more game - the fifth-place match - but fell again but on penalties against Esperanza of Tunisia. They are the only Liga MX team to finish a six-team CWC in sixth place.
After Monterrey suffered three straight defeats at the 2025 tournament, they might now be considered the worst Mexican performer at this competition. Speaking after their 2-0 defeat to Al-Hilal, head coach Jaime Lozano admitted that things had not gone to plan.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow for all of us,” Lozano explained. “For the players, the fans, everyone. Pachuca is usually a team built to go far in these kinds of tournaments and to proudly represent Mexico. That didn’t happen this time.”
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