Alejandro Zendejas might just be the best player in Liga MX. That's not a hot take -- it's a fact. He has four league titles and has delivered goals, assists, and trophies to Club America. Not many in Mexico's top flight can touch Zendejas at the level he's been at, particularly over the last few months. He's stepped up in big moments and, as a result, is now receiving big recognition for his efforts.
On Wednesday, Zendejas will lead Club America's charge for yet another trophy: the CONCACAF Champions Cup. It's been nearly a decade since the club last won this trophy. They've won plenty recently, including the last three Liga MX titles but, as always, the CONCACAF Champions Cup holds higher value for America. This is a chance for the club to prove that it is this region's undisputed best. This is a chance, in many ways, to make history.
The club's opening match in this year's tournament will be personal for Zendejas, too. It comes against Chivas, his former club. So much of Zendejas' career has been defined by the three years he spent at the club. His international future, in many ways, was sculpted during his time in Guadalajara and, as he looks back at it now as a superstar in Mexico City, there is still something personal there.
The Zendejas set to face Chivas on Wednesday is a far cry from the player who left Chivas five years ago. Once on the fringes with the Rojiblancos, he’s now a key figure for Mexico’s best team, with five goals and four assists in eight league matches -- and he keeps getting better. In the weeks ahead, he'll be Club América’s best hope of reclaiming the top spot in North American soccer.