The Guadalajara Chivas squad that played in the Clausura 2023 final over three years ago has almost completely disintegrated, with only three of its starters still part of the current red-and-white first team. An analysis originally published by Record MX details the fate of each of those players who fell to Tigres in a dramatic match.
The team led by Veljko Paunović became one of the most remembered squads in recent years, especially for its epic comeback against América in the semifinals. However, after building a two-goal lead in the final, the team collapsed and lost 3-2 in extra time, a moment that marked the beginning of the end for that project.
From that starting eleven, only Roberto Alvarado, Rubén González, and Fernando González are part of the current squad competing in Liga MX. The team is fifth in the standings with 11 points, five behind leaders América, and is unbeaten in its last five matches after a 1-1 draw against Pachuca. Gilberto 'Tiba' Sepúlveda, although under contract with Chivas, is not with the first team as he is on loan at FC Juárez.
The most recent departure of a pillar from that final was Alan Mozo. The right-back, who joined Chivas from Pachuca, was one of the last members of that group to leave the institution, moving to Cruz Azul. His exit symbolizes the generational change the squad has undergone.
The dispersal of that team is wide and spans several leagues. Goalkeeper Miguel Jiménez continued his career outside Mexico. In defense, Jesús Orozco Chiquete also plays for Cruz Azul, while Antonio Briseño and Víctor Guzmán defend Toluca's colors.
Midfielder Pável Pérez is another who wears the Toluca shirt. Up front, the situation is similar: Alexis Vega is also a Toluca player, Ronaldo Cisneros plays for Alajuelense in Costa Rica, and Daniel Ríos is at CF Montréal in MLS. Isaac Brizuela, for his part, has retired from professional football.
The current team, which has scored 9 goals and conceded 6 this season, shows a very different face. The rebuild has been constant since that 2023 final. The present squad, which you can review on our team page, now prepares for its next challenge: a visit to Atlético San Luis, thirteenth in the table, on September 5th. This match is an opportunity to add three points in the fight to close the gap at the top of the standings.
The story of that Paunović-led Chivas, built almost entirely with Mexican talent, remains as a memory of what could have been. But football doesn't stop, and the club has had to move forward, forming a new competitive core for present challenges.
