The Promise Gabriel Milito Fulfilled for Chivas | OneFootball

On May 27, 2025, Gabriel Milito was introduced as Guadalajara’s head coach with a phrase that echoed throughout the Red-and-White Nation: “with commitment and heart, we will build a winning team.” One year later, it’s time to evaluate Chivas’ performance under the Argentine manager, who succeeded in bringing stability, a high level of competitiveness, and a clear footballing identity to the team.

Because today, the Sacred Flock once again feels like a big club. Not only because of the numbers, which strongly support Milito’s work, but also because of the sensations the team transmits on the pitch. Guadalajara became an uncomfortable, intense, aggressive, and recognizable opponent. A team willing to impose itself in any stadium, committed to a unified footballing idea, and one that recovered something essential: footballing personality.

The statistics back up that transformation. Gabriel Milito closed out his first year with a 57 percent win rate, the product of 22 victories, 8 draws, and 13 defeats in 43 official matches between Liga MX and Leagues Cup play. During the AP25-CL26 footballing year, Chivas collected 65 points, making them the third-best team in Mexican football, trailing only Toluca and Cruz Azul. In addition, the team recorded 20 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses, while scoring 62 goals and conceding 39.

The team’s growth was also reflected in historic milestones, as Guadalajara reached the best points tally in club history during short tournaments with 36 points in the recently concluded Clausura 2026, surpassing the previous record of 34.

However, perhaps the most valuable aspect is not found in the standings. It lies in the feeling that Chivas truly became competitive again. The team showed character in crucial moments, such as that comeback victory against Tigres, which confirmed the competitive spirit Milito managed to build. Guadalajara stopped being a passive or reactive side; instead, it consistently played as a team willing to take risks, press high, and compete with conviction. The squad has clear principles and a recognizable style, regardless of the opponent or venue.

Another major achievement of the process has been the development of young players and the strengthening of Chivas’ identity from within. Milito quickly understood the club’s context, which led him to trust players who now look far more mature and prepared to handle the demands of representing Chivas. That connection between the Red-and-White Academy, team identity, playing philosophy, and collective character ultimately reinforced the essence of the project.

That commitment also had an impact on an individual level. Armando González finished as the top scorer of the Apertura 2025 and entered the final matchday of Clausura 2026 fighting to repeat as scoring champion. Even so, the striker completed an extraordinary year with 24 regular-season goals across both tournaments, cementing himself as one of Mexican football’s premier attacking figures — a breakthrough that rapidly propelled him into the Mexican National Team setup.

The team’s strength at home also became a defining trademark. Although the loss to Cruz Azul at Estadio Jalisco ended the unbeaten streak in Guadalajara, the Sacred Flock still holds a run of 14 consecutive matches without defeat at Estadio AKRON, with a record of 11 wins and 3 draws dating back to last tournament. Chivas once again turned its home into an almost impossible venue for opponents.

And if anything reflected this footballing year, it was the team’s attacking power. With 62 goals, Guadalajara finished as one of the best offensive teams of the season, behind only Toluca, Tigres, and Pumas. A statistic that confirms the team not only competes — it also plays attractive football, creates chances, attacks relentlessly, and consistently hurts opponents.

Guadalajara’s collective impact even transcended the international stage. The team’s outstanding performances resulted in eight Chivas players being included in the preliminary roster submitted by the Mexican National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Furthermore, throughout different stages of El Tri’s process, a total of 10 Chivas players received call-ups over the last year. At the youth level, talents such as Santiago Sandoval, Hugo Camberos, and Samir Inda also stood out, reflecting a project focused not only on the present, but also on the institutional future of the club.

And it’s impossible not to mention Guadalajara’s return to the international stage, as the club secured qualification for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup — a logical consequence of a project that firmly reestablished Chivas among Liga MX’s protagonists throughout the footballing season.

Today, Chivas has identity, character, a clear idea, and direction. The title remains a major pending objective, that much is true, but a project this solid — built around players who genuinely love and identify with the colors of Club Deportivo Guadalajara, combined with Gabriel Milito’s leadership and the structural transformation he achieved in just one year — undoubtedly brings the team closer to its ultimate goal of becoming champions once again