Miguel Layún’s dream before his retirement

At 35 years old, Miguel Layún has announced this this season will be his last. He will hang up his boots for good once the Apertura 2023 concludes. The full-back returned to América in the summer of 2021 after spells in England, Portugal and Spain, but after making 27 appearances in his first two campaigns, he has lost prominence in the side. He’s decided it’s time to end his career, but before he reaches that point, he has one dream to fulfill.

In a Zoom conference call, Layún described his last wish as a professional player. “After announcing my retirement, all I want now is to lift the club’s 14th title - ideally, contesting it our biggest rivals - Chivas. That would be an epic way to end it all” he explained.

Epic it certainly would be, seeing as América and Chivas have only faced each other once in a Liga MX final - that was almost 40 years ago in the 1983/4 championship which the Águilas won, beating Guadalajara 5-3 on aggregate (2-2 and 3-1). Since then, the two giants of Mexican soccer have had many memorable league duels but have never coincided in the final.

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Layún added that it is the right time for him to retire even though he still feels fit enough to play a part in André Jardine’s team. The coach has given him a total of just 268 minutes of playing time in the tournament. Nevertheless, the defender inists he has plenty to give, “Honestly, I am still in a position to fight for a place among the 11″ he stressed.

Layún’s fondest memories

To end, Layún remembered some of the highlights of his career, such as heroically scoring the decisive penalty in the final Clausura 2013 against Cruz Azul, making his debut in the Champions League with Porto and Mexico’s 0-1 victory against Germany at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

“The moment that I treasure most is the penalty in the shootout against Cruz Azul, it was one of the most emblematic and important nights in Mexican soccer, the most dramatic final. My debut in the Champions League. For me, to be able to comPete in that comPetition was beyond my imagination. And at the national team level, the match against Germany was a moment I will never forget. Now, watching from afar as a fan, I hope Mexico bring us many more magic moments,” he concluded.