LIGA MX
‘Mexican Messi’ Diego Lainez struggles on Liga MX return
Diego Lainez was dubbed the ‘Mexican Messi’ some years ago as he broke onto the scene. After a lacklustre spell in Spain, the 22-year-old is back in in Mexico.
Diego Lainez broke onto the domestic scene in Mexico with Club America back in 2018 delivering a series of fine displays becoming the youngest player to score a double with the club, and the fifth youngest to score a goal in the club’s history. Overseas interest ensued and in 2019, ‘The Mexican Messi’ as he was dubbed due to his mazy runs and ability to beat players, packed his bags swapping Mexico City for Seville as he penned a five-year-deal with Real Betis.
The move made him the youngest player to emigrate from Liga MX, as well as the second most expensive transfer paid for a Mexican player by a European club (a reported $14 million). Sadly Lainez’s time with the LaLiga side has failed to live up to the early expectation and Betis last season loaned the player to Portugal’s Braga. This season, Lainez is back in his native Mexico and playing with Tigres UANL but still failing to find his form.
Argentina’s Diario Olé highlighted the player’s plight in an article titled: “From being called the “Mexican Messi “to having gone 22 games (Braga and Tigres) without scoring a goal.”
Many close to the player had hoped that a return to his roots and Liga MX may have fired the player to rediscover his earlier promise but the last time Lainez found the target was when he was in Sporting Braga, in November (2022) when he converted against Moreirense in the Portuguese league and is now on a run of 22 games without finding the net.