Mateo Chávez did not think he could stay in Mexico and still give himself a real chance at the 2026 World Cup. So when AZ Alkmaar showed interest in December, he took the move that pushed him out of his comfort zone and into Europe, signing a five-year contract with the Dutch club.
Chávez said he believed he had to take that kind of risk, even if it meant leaving behind the path that had made him a first-division regular at Chivas. He joined the Guadalajara club’s academy at 9 years old, won titles with the Sub-17, Sub-23 and Tapatío sides, and debuted in Liga MX in Clausura 2024 against Santos Laguna at 19. From there, he earned starts under three different coaches, Fernando Gago, Óscar García and Gerardo Espinoza, before AZ made its approach.
For Chávez, the transfer was not only about football. He said the chance to go abroad would help him grow in ways that went beyond the game, and that the move had already changed him. “Tomar la oportunidad porque tenía que crecer en otras formas también, fuera de lo deportivo. Me ha hecho madurar mucho, me ha hecho crecer mucho,” he said. “Yo fui a Europa para buscarme mi lugar aquí, para que me voltearan a ver, para mostrar mi trabajo y crecer.”
That ambition met a rough first season in the Eredivisie. Chávez said injuries interrupted his year, including a shoulder problem that kept him out of March friendlies against Portugal and Belgium. Even so, he said he played about 30 matches during the campaign and felt his rhythm was good enough to keep building. “Dentro de lo que me tocó participar —que no fueron pocos partidos, creo que fueron alrededor de 30 en el año— me siento en el ritmo suficiente,” he said. “El trabajo en el día a día es fuerte, así que me siento muy bien.”
The season still ended on a high note. Chávez scored his first goal for AZ against NAC Breda on the final matchday, a milestone that gave a clearer picture of why the club wanted him and why he believed the leap to Europe mattered. He also said he sees another young Mexican, Armando González, as ready to skip a smaller step and go straight to a major European league. “Creo que Armando está en un momento en que ya puede saltarse ese paso. Él ha demostrado que ya está para una gran liga. Yo también daré el siguiente paso, pero mi proceso es diferente,” Chávez said.
What comes next is the part that will shape the rest of his year. Chávez wants to turn an interrupted first season into a stronger second one, and he believes Javier Aguirre already understands the way he plays and the way he works. “Él sabe cómo trabajo, cuál es mi línea, que me voy a matar por el equipo,” he said. If he stays healthy and keeps playing, the route he chose to leave Mexico may be the one that brings him back into the national-team picture in time for 2026.
