Club de Fútbol Monterrey has the chance to settle an international debt in the Leagues Cup semifinals. Guillermo Almada's team is one of four Liga MX representatives chasing the tournament's first championship for Mexican football, as reported by Telemundo.
The club's current domestic league form shows inconsistent results. Monterrey sits ninth in Liga MX with 9 points from 3 wins and 3 losses in 6 games. Their last outing was a 3-1 defeat to Atlético San Luis on August 31, marking two consecutive losses. The team has scored 13 goals and conceded 10, for a +3 goal difference, but trails leaders Club America by 7 points. Their next match is an away fixture against sixth-placed Club Querétaro on September 5, as listed on our fixtures page.
Why is there talk of an international debt?
Rayados' last international title dates back to 2021, when they were crowned Concacaf Champions Cup winners. In that final, they beat América with a solitary goal from Rogelio Funes Mori. Since then, the club has not lifted a trophy outside of Mexico. "The team that arrives with the greatest international debt is precisely the one led by Guillermo Almada," the coach himself noted in the report. This drought contrasts with the recent success of other Mexican semifinalists. Toluca is the current Concacaf champion after beating Tigres on penalties, while León won the title in 2023 by defeating LAFC 3-1 on aggregate.
What is the landscape for Liga MX in the Leagues Cup?
For the first time, Liga MX is guaranteed to have a champion in the Leagues Cup under its new format. All four semifinalists are Mexican clubs: Club de Fútbol Monterrey, América, Toluca, and León. This dominance highlights the region's strength in this competition. América, Monterrey's historic rival, carries an even longer drought in official Concacaf titles, their last conquest being in April 2016 against Tigres. Although they won the Campeones Cup in 2024, this tournament is not considered official by the confederation or FIFA.
How are the other Mexican contenders arriving?
Each of Monterrey's rivals arrives with a distinct manager and recent history. Toluca, led by Antonio Mohamed, holds the most recent continental title. León, with Nicolás Larcamón on the bench, was champion in 2023. América, for its part, seeks to end a decade-long wait in official confederation competitions. This context makes the semifinals a battle not only for a place in the final but for the prestige of being the club that ends its respective wait. Fans can track these teams' progress on our standings page.
The mission for Rayados is clear: they are two matches away from potentially celebrating an international title and closing a cycle that has lasted five years. Almada's team must overcome its tricky moment in the domestic league to focus on the continental appointment. With an attack that has shown effectiveness by scoring 13 goals this season, but a defense that has shown vulnerabilities, balance will be key. The next stop on the road is the match against Querétaro, an immediate challenge before turning their full attention back to the Leagues Cup.
