On December 15, 2024, Club América made history by securing their third consecutive Liga MX title, achieving the remarkable feat known as the tricampeonato during the Apertura 2024 final against Monterrey Rayados. After battling through intense moments at the Estadio BBVA, Club América’s resilience shone through, ending with a 3-2 victory on aggregate after a 1-1 draw during the return leg. This victory solidified their position as the first team to ever win three back-to-back championships since the introduction of the short tournament formats.
The match commenced with high stakes for both teams, particularly for Rayados, who were on their home turf, aiming to shake off the weight of previous final losses. Rayados came out strong from the kick-off, controlling the ball but struggling to find their rhythm, with ineffective crosses and slow maneuvers failing to penetrate América’s solid defensive setup. Their desperation showed when they started generating early chances; the first threat came from Erick Aguirre's precise cross to German Berterame, which was easily intercepted by América's goalkeeper, Luis Ángel Malagón.
Despite Rayados’ initial aggression, it was Club América who found the breakthrough first, albeit after the goal from Henry Martín was ruled offside. The game turned at the 24th minute when Richard Sánchez executed a perfect strike outside the box, sending the ball soaring beyond Rayados’ goalkeeper, Luis Cárdenas, and nestling it high within the net.
With the aggregate score tilting toward América, Monterrey needed to respond urgently, and they attempted to rally by pressing defensively and launching attacks. Unfortunately for them, their efforts were met with stiff resistance, with numerous attempts thwarted by Malagón, who spent much of the match securing their lead.
While Rayados sought to regain their footing, struggling with both creativity and execution, double blows came when Martín suffered an injury, prompting the introduction of Rodrigo Aguirre to the pitch. The dynamics continued to shift, yet Monterrey remained on the offensive, pushing desperately for equalizers. Through tenacity, they managed to equalize the game at 1-1 with Johan Rojas scoring late in the match, only to find the overall aggregate was still out of reach for their title aspirations.
The closing stages saw Rayados knocking on the door, nearly leveling the aggregate scores with Brandon Vázquez’s header hitting the crossbar, but their efforts fell short. The whistle blew, sealing América’s win and confirming their 16th star within Liga MX.
This title marks not just another championship for Club América, but their historical milestone as the first tricampeón (three-time champion) of the short tournaments, as they basked proudly under the arch of the 'Gigante de Acero' yet again. With this victory, América extended their looming dominance over Mexican football, serving as both inspiration and heartbreak for fans and players of Rayados, who have failed to clinch victory on three finals occasions at this very venue, where they originally started to build their legacy.
Reflecting on this final, Monterrey’s coach will need to carefully evaluate the shortcomings displayed throughout the match. Having previously registered notable victories within other tournaments, the pressure builds upon them to finally conquer their League MX demons. Meanwhile, for América, the excitement persists as they consolidate their position as champions once again, with hopes of extending their winning streak to even longer lengths.
Navdeep Saini from El Porvenir highlighted, “Rayados never found their flow and ended up paying dearly for it.” This sentiment encapsulates much of the disappointment surrounding Monterrey’s previous attempts to reign supreme.
With the next season looming on the horizon, both teams face unique challenges: Club América, now needing to defend their reign and the pressure of expectations, and Rayados, compelled to reassess, regroup, and shed the shackles of past disappointments.
Club América’s achievement once more emphasizes their incredible run and places them firmly at the top of the football hierarchy within Mexico, leaving opponents to ponder how soon they could muster the strength to tip the scales back.
