Alexis Vega (Mexican footballer)

Ernesto Alexis Vega Rojas (born 25 November 1997) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Toluca.

Alexis Vega
Vega with Mexico at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Ernesto Alexis Vega Rojas[1]
Date of birth (1997-11-25) 25 November 1997 (age 26)[1]
Place of birth Mexico City, Mexico
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Toluca
Youth career
Toluca
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Toluca 58 (12)
2019–2023 Guadalajara 140 (26)
2024– Toluca 10 (4)
International career
2021 Mexico U23 14 (4)
2019–2023 Mexico 27 (6)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Mexico
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner 2019 United States-Costa Rica-Jamaica Team
CONCACAF Nations League
Third place 2023 United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 March 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 April 2023

Club career edit

Toluca edit

Vega made his senior team debut on 27 February 2016 coming on as a substitute in a home league match against Pachuca.[2] On April 5 he scored his first professional goal for Toluca in the Copa Libertadores against Ecuadorian club L.D.U. Quito, the game ended 2–1 and Toluca qualified to the tournament's Round of 16.[3] On 16 April, Vega scored his first two goals in the league against Veracruz.

Guadalajara edit

On 8 December 2018 it was announced that Vega was joining Guadalajara for a reported $9 million, making his transfer one of the most expensive in the history of the club.[4]

After playing six games without any goals and going three straight games without any wins on 16 February 2019 Vega managed to score 3 goals in the 3–0 victory against town rivals Atlas, his first career hat-trick.[5]

Prior to the start of the 2021–22 season, Vega was given the number 10 jersey.[6] In May, he renewed with Chivas until 2024, becoming the highest paid player in the club's history.[7]

Return to Toluca edit

On 17 January 2024, Toluca reached an agreement with Guadalajara to sign Vega.[8]

International career edit

Youth edit

Vega was called up by Jaime Lozano to participate at the 2020 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship, scoring one goal in five appearances, where Mexico won the competition. He was awarded the Golden Ball for best player[9] and included in the tournament's Best XI.[10] He was subsequently called up to participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics.[11] Vega won the bronze medal with the Olympic team.[12]

Senior edit

 
Vega disputing the ball against Argentina's Rodrigo De Paul at the 2022 World Cup

Vega made his senior national team debut on 26 March 2019, under Gerardo Martino in a friendly against Paraguay, as a 78th-minute substitute for Javier Hernández.[13]

In May 2019, Vega was included in the provisional 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster[14] and was subsequently included in the final list.[15] In the first group stage match against Cuba, he would score his first goal with the national team in a 7–0 thrashing.[16] Mexico would go on to win the tournament.[17]

In October 2022, Vega was named in Mexico's preliminary 31-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and in November, he was ultimately included in the final 26-man roster.[18]

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of match played 17 March 2024[19]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Toluca 2015–16 Liga MX 10 2 5[a] 1 15 3
2016–17 12 1 2 0 14 1
2017–18 17 3 7 2 24 5
2018–19 19 6 3 0 22 6
Total 58 12 12 2 5 1 75 15
Guadalajara 2018–19 Liga MX 16 4 1 0 17 4
2019–20 24 5 4 2 28 7
2020–21 32 4 32 4
2021–22 26 6 26 6
2022–23 32 6 32 6
2023–24 10 1 2[b] 0 12 1
Total 140 26 5 2 2 0 147 28
Toluca 2023–24 Liga MX 9 3 2[c] 0 11 3
Career total 207 41 17 4 7 1 2 0 233 46
  1. ^ Appearances in Copa Libertadores
  2. ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup

International edit

As of match played 19 April 2023[20]
Mexico
Year Apps Goals
2019 5[a] 1
2020 1 0
2021 5 1
2022 14 4
2023 2 0
Total 27 6
  1. ^ Vega additionally played a match against Martinique in 2019, which is not recognized by FIFA.
Scores and results list Mexico Olympic team goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Vega goal.
List of international goals scored by Alexis Vega
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 21 March 2021 Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico   Costa Rica 2–0 3–0 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship
2 22 July 2021 Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu, Japan   France 1–0 4–1 2020 Summer Olympics
3 28 July 2021 Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan   South Africa 1–0 3–0 2020 Summer Olympics
4 6 August 2021 Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan   Japan 3–0 3–1 2020 Summer Olympics

International goals edit

Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first.[19]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 15 June 2019 Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States   Cuba 6–0 7–0 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2. 2 September 2021 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico   Jamaica 1–0 2–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
3. 27 January 2022 Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica 2–1
4. 27 September 2022 Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, United States   Colombia 1–0 2–3 Friendly
5. 9 November 2022 Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain   Iraq 1–0 4–0
6. 16 November 2022   Sweden 1–1 1–2

Honours edit

Mexico U23

Mexico

Individual

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™: List of Players: Mixeco" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Alexis Vega, contento de debutar con Toluca". 2 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Alexis Vega, motivado por su gol en Copa Libertadores".
  4. ^ "Alexis Vega sería presentado con Chivas el sábado". Futboltotal.com.mx (in Spanish). Staff FT. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Chivas earn emphatic Clasico Tapatio victory behind Alexis Vega hat-trick". Fmfstateofmind.com. Rafael Díaz. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Chivas: Vega será el nuevo número 10, Zaldívar hereda el 9 de Macías". 21 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Alexis Vega se convirtió en el jugador mejor pagado en la historia de Chivas". 6 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Alexis Vega regresa a Toluca tras cinco años en Chivas" (in Spanish). ESPN México. 17 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Vega earns 2020 CMOQ Best Player Award, presented by Scotiabank". CONCACAF. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Ellos son los 4 mexicanos que encabezan el 11 ideal de Concacaf del Preolímpico 2021". 31 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Revelan lista oficial de la Selección Sub-23 que acudirá a Tokio 2020". 5 July 2021.
  12. ^ "México gana el bronce tras vencer 3-1 a Japón | TUDN Fútbol Olímpico Varonil | TUDN".
  13. ^ "Mexico v Paraguay game report". ESPN. 26 March 2019.
  14. ^ Tinajero, Antonio (14 May 2019). "Tata Martino Announces Mexico Preliminary Gold Cup Squad; Vela, Chicharito, Herrera, Corona left out". Fmfstateofmind.com.
  15. ^ "Selección Mexicana anuncia lista definitiva para Copa Oro 2019". MedioTiempo.com. 6 June 2019.
  16. ^ "México 7-0 Cuba: goles, resumen y videos". Goal.com (in Spanish). 15 June 2019.
  17. ^ a b Straus, Brian (7 July 2019). "Mexico Turns Tide, Wins Gold Cup Title Again vs. Wasteful USMNT". Sports Illustrated.
  18. ^ Moro, Omar (14 November 2022). "Lista de convocados de la Selección Mexicana al Mundial de Qatar 2022". Tvazteca.com (in Spanish).
  19. ^ a b Ernesto Vega Stats
  20. ^ "Alexis Vega". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann.
  21. ^ "Mexico win Olympic bronze medal after beating hosts Japan at Tokyo 2020". Goal. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Orbelín Pineda y Alexis Vega se suman al Juego de Estrellas entre Liga MX y MLS". 10 August 2021.
  23. ^ "LIGA MX announces roster for 2022 MLS All-Star Game at Allianz Field". Major League Soccer. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.

External links edit