Monterrey 1-1 América: Liguilla MX Finals and Season Roundup

The first half of the Liga MX 24/25 season concluded with Club América crowned as champion, reaffirming its dominance in Mexican soccer by securing its third consecutive title. This marks an unprecedented achievement in the era of short tournaments in Mexico.

Under the leadership of André Jardine, América finished eighth in the regular season standings but rose to the occasion in the Play-In round, defeating Tijuana. They then showcased their pedigree by overcoming higher-seeded teams Toluca and Cruz Azul in the playoffs.

In the final, the Águilas edged Monterrey 3-2 on aggregate, winning 2-1 in the first leg and drawing 1-1 in the second as visitors. Rayados had advanced to the championship final by eliminating Pumas and Atlético San Luis but once again fell short of claiming its sixth league title, which has eluded it since 2019.

While América and Monterrey were the standout teams as finalists, Cruz Azul also deserves recognition. Despite being eliminated in the semifinals, they amassed an impressive 42 points in the general standings, a new record for short tournaments.

With one half of the season remaining to determine international berths, Club América has already secured its spot in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup by winning the Liga MX title. The last time they won this continental tournament was in 2016. As runners-up, Monterrey also earned a place in the tournament.

The format for the 2025 Leagues Cup has yet to be announced, so it is unclear whether the Mexican champions and current runners-up are already qualified for that competition.

In Mexico, there has been no relegation since the 2020-2021 season. However, teams with the lowest coefficient must pay a fine. Currently, Mazatlán sits at the bottom with a coefficient of 0.8941, facing a penalty of $3.9 million. Juárez and Puebla follow with fines of $2.3 million and $1.6 million, respectively. These three teams have six months to improve their standings and avoid this financial burden.

Portuguese forward Paulinho from Toluca claimed the Liga MX Golden Boot with 13 goals in 17 matches, averaging a goal every 119 minutes. Ángel Sepúlveda of Cruz Azul finished second with nine goals, while Spanish international Sergio Canales from Monterrey was third with eight.

For Club América, Henry Martín stood out as the league’s top assist provider with six, tied with Luis Romo. Martín also tallied eight goals, further cementing his legacy with his fourth league title for the club.

Other notable stats include Monterrey leading the league in attendance, averaging 42,631 fans per game, while Atlético San Luis and Chivas shared the Fair Play Award, as neither team received a red card throughout the tournament.

Liguilla MX Finals: América 2-1 Monterrey

Liguilla MX Finals: Monterrey 1-1 América

Despite needing the Play-In to qualify for the Liguilla, Club América once again proved their dominance in Mexican soccer by claiming another championship title, this time defeating Monterrey.

After securing a 2-1 victory at home with goals from Kevin Álvarez and Alejandro Zendejas, the Águilas drew 1-1 in Monterrey to add another trophy to their collection.

In the second leg, Richard Sánchez opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a stunning long-range strike from about 25 meters. Monterrey equalized late in the match through Colombian Johan Rojas, who found the back of the net with a shot placed to the goalkeeper’s left post in the 85th minute. The series ended 2-1 on aggregate in favor of the team from Mexico City.

Under Brazilian head coach André Jardine, América became the first-ever three-time consecutive champions in the era of short tournaments and solidified their position as the most successful club in Mexican league history, now boasting 16 titles.