Uruguayan Almada and Argentine Almeida: Big returns for Mexican Apertura

The Mexican Apertura 2026 football league is set to welcome back two prominent figures: Uruguayan coach Guillermo Almada, now with América, and Argentine Matías Almeyda, taking charge of Monterrey.

Both coaches have prior success in Mexico. Almada led Pachuca to the Apertura 2022 title and the 2024 Concacaf league championship. Almeyda guided Guadalajara to the Clausura 2017 Liga MX title and a Concacaf championship shortly after. Their returns follow less successful periods coaching in Spain; Almada with Real Oviedo and Almeyda with Sevilla.

América has replaced Brazilian André Jardine, who delivered three league titles, with the fiery Almada. At 57, Almada aims to restore the most successful Mexican club to its winning ways. He will manage a squad with talent across all positions, seeking the club's seventeenth league title after reaching four consecutive finals, winning three.

Almeyda, 51, takes over a Monterrey team struggling with recent results despite significant financial backing. To bolster the attack, he has brought in Uruguayan forward Diego Rossi and is expected to seek at least one more defensive reinforcement. The league's coaching staff is notably international, featuring seven Argentines, five Mexicans, three Uruguayans, two Portuguese, and one Chilean.

Reigning champions Cruz Azul have retained Mexican coach Joel Huiqui, who led them to their tenth title. Miguel Herrera, after a stint with Costa Rica's national team, will manage Atlante as they return to the top division. Other Mexican coaches include Diego Mejía (San Luis), Gerardo Espinoza (Puebla), and Benjamín Mora (Pachuca). The Apertura season kicks off this Thursday, with most players involved in the Mexican league unavailable due to their recent participation in the World Cup.