Alex Zendejas boosts USMNT prospects with starring role in Liga MX title triumph

American winger Alex Zendejas further fueled his growing reputation with another outstanding performance in Sunday’s Liga MX last-second clash, helping Club America win a historic third straight championship.

Zendejas, an exciting prospect for the U.S. men’s national team and new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, scored his side’s only goal in a 1-1 draw that sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory over Monterrey. The 26-year-old’s smart header fell to team-mate Richard Sanchez, who sent home a spectacular strike from outside the box.

For Pochettino, there is a lot to like about Zendejas. Heading into 2025, the player’s confidence could hardly be higher after scoring a decisive goal in the first leg of the Liga MX Apertura in the crucial midweek of the season and again proving to be the main driver of the Club America attack on Sunday. Since Mexican soccer moved to a split season in 1991, no team had previously won three consecutive titles.

Despite controversy surrounding his international career at almost every turn, Zendejas’ speed and determination – and most of all his form – look set to keep him firmly in Pochettino’s mind heading into a critical year.

Pochettino used Zendejas in both games against Jamaica in November (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Before switching allegiance one final time, Zendejas played for first the United States and then Mexico at the youth level, where paperwork irregularities caused by his failure to file a one-time transfer led to the Mexican federation being hit with FIFA fines and forced to forfeit five matches.

Born in Mexico but raised in Texas, he came through the ranks at FC Dallas before moving to Guadalajara to join Liga MX giants Chivas in 2016. As recently as October, he indicated he would be open to play for Mexico again — a bizarre comment considering he’s long been locked into only representing the United States at a high level moving forward.

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He was used as a late sub by Pochettino in both of the USMNT’s recent games against Jamaica in the Nations League, but did not have enough time to make a significant impact in either.

Zendejas was also linked with a move to LA Galaxy last year, but as one of the most dynamic players in Liga MX over the past season, his options for a lucrative move or an extended contract with Club America will have increased .

(Top photo: Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images)