A few weeks ago, Santos Laguna was one of the worst teams in the league, and its president was the butt of jokes in Liga MX. Today, the Guerreros secured their fourth straight victory, and now someone else is laughing. Thanks to a two-goal performance by young Tahiel Jiménez, Santos came from behind to beat Atlético de San Luis 2-1 at the Alfonso Lastras Stadium on Matchday 11 of the 2026 Apertura, reaching 13 points and putting themselves in the mix for the Liguilla.
The match had it all: Óscar Macías put the San Luis team ahead in the 19th minute with a header off a corner kick, as published on SI.com, but Jiménez responded in the 34th minute with a diving header and completed his first Liga MX brace in the 64th minute, finishing from close range after a save by the goalkeeper. It was the first time since the 2022 Apertura, with Eduardo Fentanes on the bench, that Santos had strung together four straight wins.
But the real story is in the stands. Alejandro “Aleco” Irarragorri, the 26-year-old president and son of the club’s owner, celebrated euphorically from the stands with his hands over his ears, shouting, “I can’t hear you!” in footage that went viral, as reported by Estadio Deportes. The euphoria contrasts with months of scrutiny: In the midst of the crisis, a video went viral showing the executive singing Diego Torres’ “Color Esperanza” to cheer on the team, and the mockery poured in on social media. Even Puebla’s community manager mocked him and ended up getting fired, as reported by Récord.
The phrase, however, became the club’s mantra. “We make comebacks for the love of the game—that’s who we are… enjoy it, and I invite you to trust, believe, dream, and support us. But above all, enjoy it,” Irarragorri wrote on his X account after the victory, which also highlights how fan opinion of his leadership changed radically. Even Checo Pérez used the song in a TikTok ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and fans immediately associated it with Santos, as reported by Soy Futbol.
The storyline seems straight out of fiction, and the press has already taken notice: Aleco is starring in “scenes worthy of a TV series,” and he’s already being compared to Chava Iglesias, the president of Club de Cuervos. Appointed in October 2024 at just 24 years old, he has seen five coaches come and go in less than two years. Today, under Renato Paiva, the team is finally performing well. The Portuguese coach, however, is urging calm: “We mustn’t confuse growth and confidence with euphoria,” he said at a press conference and reminded everyone that the credit goes to the players.
Six-Goal Madness at CU
In a rematch of the 2026 Clausura final, Pumas and Cruz Azul tied 3-3 at the Olímpico Universitario. The University team took a 2-0 lead with goals by Juninho in the 10th minute and César “Chino” Huerta in the 16th minute, but Huerta was sent off in the 37th minute, and La Máquina staged a comeback with goals from Agustín Palavecino, Andrés Montaño, and Christian Ebere in the 84th minute. Cruz Azul extended its unbeaten streak at CU to more than 30 games.
Rondón Saves Pachuca
At the Hidalgo Stadium, Pachuca and Necaxa also played out a wild 3-3 draw. Salomón Rondón scored twice in three minutes—a header in the 84th minute and a shot in the 87th—to rescue the Tuzos, who had been trailing 3-1 on goals by Matías Espíndola, Julián Carranza, and a penalty kick by Juan Valencia.nRondón reached 12 goals and solidified his position as the league’s leading scorer.
Sunday’s matchday ended with drama on all three fields, but with a clear theme: knowing it’s possible, wanting it to be possible.
