'The solution is to sign foreign players' - Mexico legend Hugo Sánchez advises Chivas' owner Amaury Vergara to break with tradition

In the midst of Chivas' ongoing struggles and efforts to reconnect with their fans and reclaim their identity, Mexican football legend Hugo Sánchez offered strong criticism directed at Amaury Vergara, the club’s owner and president. The team has fallen short of expectations in recent years, performing below the standards typically associated with such a historic institution, and hasn’t lifted a Liga MX trophy since the Clausura 2017 tournament.

Speaking on ESPN’s Futbol Picante, the former Real Madrid striker didn’t hold back. Sánchez questioned the club’s long-standing tradition of only fielding Mexican players and suggested that the solution to their problems might lie in allowing foreign signings. “Amaury, stop misleading the public by just talking about changing coaches — the real issue is the overall structure,” Sánchez stated. “The answer is simple: bring in foreign players. That’s how you fix Chivas.”

Sánchez went on to say that Vergara is not seeking advice from people who truly understand the game, which, according to him, is a key reason for the team’s disappointing results. “All other Liga MX teams are allowed to have seven or eight foreign players. Chivas should open that door, too. That’s the path to stability. You’re not listening to people who genuinely know football — use the same tools everyone else does,” he concluded.

Sánchez directed his suggestion to Vergara as a sharp critique, highlighting Chivas’ forgettable performances in recent Liga MX seasons. Since their championship win under Matías Almeyda in 2017, the club has only managed to reach one final, during the Clausura 2023, which has sparked growing criticism from fans and analysts alike. Many are now questioning whether it’s time for the team to abandon its long-standing tradition of fielding only Mexican players.

In recent seasons, Chivas has taken small steps toward flexibility, signing Cade Cowell, an American-born player with Mexican heritage. Alejandro Zendejas, now a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, also wore Chivas’ Red and White, although his stint came before he committed to representing the U.S. internationally.

One of Chivas’ major challenges has been its struggle to attract top-tier Mexican talent, as many high-profile players have opted to join rival clubs like América, Tigres, Monterrey, or Toluca. In light of this, Sánchez has reopened the debate, calling on Vergara to consider allowing foreign players into the squad to keep the team competitive.

“I’d love to see Spanish players brought to Chivas,” said the Pentapichichi. “To me, Spaniards aren’t really foreigners, especially now with people like Domènec Torrent involved and the growing Spanish influence in Mexican football.”

Chivas are known as the only club in Mexican football that exclusively fields Mexican players. This long-standing tradition has defined the identity of the Guadalajara-based team for over 118 years. However, in 2024, under the management of Argentine coach Fernando Gago, the team made headlines during a Champions Cup match against Forge FC by fielding a historic lineup that included three players not born in Mexico. Among them were Cade Cowell and Leonardo Sepúlveda, both born in the United States, and Óscar Whalley, who was born in Spain.

Over time, the club's interpretation of what qualifies a player as “Mexican” has evolved. Back in 2012, Jorge Vergara—then the club’s owner and father of current president Amaury Vergara - introduced a key change: players who were either born in Mexico or had Mexican heritage through their parents could be eligible to play, as long as they committed to representing the Mexican national team exclusively.