Mexico

For readers in the United States, we live in a time where no one can agree on anything. NBA players can’t agree that the earth isn’t flat, conspiracy theorists can’t agree that Parkland students aren’t actors and politicians sure as hell can’t agree on anything. Well, maybe that last one isn’t quite accurate. On Wednesday, 44 senators came together for a bipartisan agreement, and somehow it involved soccer. The 2026 World Cup, to be specific. 

Landon Donovan came in as a second-half sub for Club León on Tuesday night as the American continued his second comeback from retirement. He played about 30 minutes for the Liga MX side in a 4-1 win over second-tier Cafetaleros in Copa MX action. It was his second appearance in 10 León matches since announcing his return to football in January, which begs the question: Is he still getting back to match fitness or was his signing purely a publicity stunt?

Hirving "Chucky" Lozano is having quite the first season in the Eredivisie. The 22-year-old Mexico international leads the Dutch league with 13 goals and is tied for seventh with seven assists. He also, curiously, is tied for first in red cards, with two. Also curiously, both of his red cards have come against the same club, Heerenveen. Maybe he doesn't like their uniforms.

Just days after taking apart some very complicated Club America free kick defense tactics, Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco was at it again against Cruz Azul. The Atomic Ant blasted in his second free kick of Toronto's pre-season tour of Mexico, and this one may have even been better than the first.

Do you miss Landon Donovan? We bet you do. Be sad no more, then, because Donovan is returning to the United States in March to play a friendly for Club León against his old club, the San Jose Earthquakes. This is a good opportunity for both clubs to open themselves up to new potential fan markets.

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Make it 16 goals from 18 games for Mexico international Charlyn Corral in this season’s Primera Division (the Spanish women’s top flight). The 26-year-old native of Acolman, Mexico, has been Levante’s top scorer the previous two seasons, and she’s currently leading the division after adding another against Sevilla on Saturday.

Did she mean it? Who knows, it’s still a long-range crack that’s probably the best scored in match week 19.

¡¡¡Q-U-É G-O-L-A-Z-O!!!

Guess who’s back, back again? Perhaps the greatest U.S. soccer player of all time, Landon Donovan returned to the pitch in a professional match for the first time since 2016. The Landon Donovan Liga MX debut for León on Saturday night marked the American’s introduction to Mexican soccer and his second comeback from retirement in two years. 

Toronto FC are on a barnstorming tour of Mexico warming up for the MLS regular season (read about the lengths teams will go to try to stop a Sebastian Giovinco free kick here), which led them to a friendly against local Mexico City club Mexican Navy. We are not making that name up.