Three Reasons Why Miguel Layún Is The Best Overall Player In Mexico

When you think of the best players on the Mexican National team, the usual names pop into your head, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, Rafa Marquez, Oribe Peralta, Giovani Dos Santos, however there is one name that is not mentioned, but arguably it should be at the top of the list, Miguel Layún.

Layún has thrived since debuting for Miguel Herrera’s squad at the end of 2013. It is also no coincidence, that his arrival with El Tri catapulted the team from the brink of World Cup disaster, to near triumph. Layún currently plays for Liga MX club, America, and is one of the better players in the league. Here are three reasons why we believe he is also the best overall player in Mexico.

#3 From Zero To Hero

One of the biggest marks of a great athlete is their ability to overcome adversity. Layún personifies this trait. He started his career in Liga MX with Veracruz and after three seasons of sub standard play, he was transferred to Italy to play for Atalanta. His time in Italy was a disaster and after six months of almost never seeing the pitch, Layún returned to Mexico and joined Club America. But, when he returned, he was vilified. The hasthag #TodoEsCulpaDeLayun “It’s All Layun’s Fault” spread like a disease through social media. The wrath of the fans was almost too much for Layún to overcome, he was depressed, he thought about quitting, but instead he turned a negative into a positive and used the criticism as motivation.

“I had to try very hard and push myself to the limit to change the situation I was in. A lot of people had opinions without knowing the reality and it was difficult explaining things and trying to convince everyone. The only way to change anything was to do my talking out on the pitch instead of on social networks.”

That’s exactly what Layún did as he worked harder than ever to become better. Layún raised his game to new levels and helped America win their 11^th league title with the game—winning penalty kick in 2013. When El Tri was in its darkest hour, on the edge of not qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, newly hired coach, Miguel Herrera, turned to Layún to help rescue Mexico, and he did.

#2 Defense Wins Championships

In case you were unaware, Layún is a defender. One of the most important yet underrated positions in the sport of soccer. Defensemen are often disregarded in the sport, names like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Luis Suarez, and Chicharito dominate the headlines because they do the flashy thing, score goals. However, without defenders to stop the opposing team from scoring, or creating counter attack opportunities, there would be no goals scored for those players. Layún knows this. His defense is the most effective part of his game. He can play left or right back, and has an uncanny ability to know when to move up and help the team attack, and when to retreat into the backline, never compromising the team in anyway. Thus far it’s worked as Layún has helped Mexico keep a clean sheet in their four games played since leaving Brazil.

#1 Only Thing That Beats Defense, Is Better Offense

The only thing better than Layún’s tremendous defensive talents, is his offensive attack. This is what makes him the best overall player on El Tri. In baseball, they call it a “5 tool player”, in soccer, its five stars. Layún is fast, skillful, he can pass, score, dribble and play defense. Layún is so fast and his stride is so long, that he can leave both defenders and midfielders in the dust in the blink of an eye; an uncanny ability for someone who plays in the back four.

One of Layún’s greatest skills is his passing. He has one of the highest passing percentages on El Tri and during the most important two matches in Mexican history, (the back to back winner take all matches with New Zealand), Layún had three assists, helping lead El Tri to the World Cup. Layún is also a crucial part of Miguel Herrera’s aerial attack off of set pieces. On September 9^th, during a friendly against Bolivia, Layún scored the game’s one and only goal. Layún has a knack for finding the net as he currently is in 5^th place in all of Liga MX with six goals scored on the season. He is the only defender in the top ten and has fewer appearances than anyone else on the list as he missed nearly four weeks of the season with a broken jaw. When you put all the pieces of the puzzle together, it is clear to us that Miguel Layún deserves to be called the best overall player in Mexico.

In a recent poll conducted by Bleacher Report, over 92 percent of those surveyed believed that Layún was the biggest star on El Tri. Tell us what you think in our own Latin Times poll below: