'It was too easy to join' - West Ham's Edson Álvarez reveals he rejected Cruz Azul for Club América for first professional deal

Edson Álvarez once had a clear path to join Cruz Azul’s youth academy - but he turned it down. The West Ham midfielder revealed that, despite the club offering him a spot after just one trial, he rejected the opportunity because “it was too easy to get in.” Instead, Álvarez opted to take on a greater challenge with Club América, where he would go on to launch his professional career.

In an interview with former América player Miguel Layún, Álvarez explained his thinking behind the decision that shaped his career.

"At 14 years old, I had the chance to try out. I chose Cruz Azul because of my dad, who was always by my side and is a big fan of La Máquina. When I did the trial at Cruz Azul, that same day they told me they wanted to register me and asked me to bring my documents the next day," recalled the Mexico national team captain.

But Álvarez wasn’t convinced.

"I've always been someone who thinks things through a lot. The next day, I told my dad, ‘No, I don’t want to go to Cruz Azul.’ He said, ‘What? Are you crazy? Grab your birth certificate, and the photos, and let’s go.’ But I told him no because it felt too easy to get in. I felt like it should be harder, so I decided to go to América. I knew that if I failed, I could try again somewhere else later."

Before eventually breaking through at América and making the leap to Europe, Álvarez also faced early setbacks. He recalled being rejected by Pachuca, who told him he didn’t meet their level. Now, with 55 Premier League appearances under his belt, it's safe to say he made the right call.

Álvarez is now an established player in Europe and with Mexico. After a standout spell with América, the club where he debuted in 2016, and helped him fulfill his dream of playing in Europe three years later, the current El Tri captain reflected on his early days as a young Mexican footballer hungry to one day become a professional.

In Mexican football, local players playing abroad and importing foreign talent in Liga MX have been widely debated. The large number of foreign players in Liga MX has made it difficult for many young talents to reach the first team. However, with the Liga MX rule promoting youth players, 156 youngsters participated in first-division matches, and there were 40 debuts in the Apertura 2024 - a 40 percent increase compared to the Clausura 2024.

Álvarez is the second most expensive transfer for a Mexican player in Europe. His move from Ajax to West Ham in 2023 cost €40 million, only surpassed by the €45 million that Napoli paid PSV Eindhoven in 2019 for Hirving Lozano. Since then, "Machín" has played 69 matches for West Ham, scoring two goals and providing three assists.

Las Águilas will face Pachuca this Saturday on Matchday 14 of the Clausura 2025. Érick Sánchez, América’s midfielder who came up through Tuzos' academy, admitted that it will be a special and challenging match for him.

"It’s tough because that’s where I developed," Sanchez said. "It’s an important match, if not the most important one for me. Now, I belong to América, but I will always have a lot of love for Pachuca."

André Jardine is expected to make some rotations in the lineup against Tuzos, as América has already secured its spot in the Liguilla. Additionally, they will face Cruz Azul next Tuesday in the second leg of the Champions Cup quarterfinals.