Son contados los jóvenes delanteros en el futbol mexicano que se han catapultado con tanta rapidez y sentimiento como lo hizo Armando González. En un par de temporadas, pasó de ser un jugador a quién apenas le prestaban atención en la academia a goleador máximo de la Liga MX, un internacional absoluto con México y un participante en la Copa del Mundo que sollozaba durante el himno nacional previo a sus primeros minutos en la máxima cita. Here’s a full breakdown of his career, stats and biggest achievements so far.
Quick Facts About Armando González
- Full name: Armando González Alba
- Nickname: La Hormiga (The Ant)
- Date of birth: April 20, 2003
- Place of birth: Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (179 cm)
- Position: Forward
- National team: Mexico
Family Roots in Chivas
González has a strong link with Guadalajara, better known as Chivas, not only through his own career. His father, Armando González Bejarano, was also a professional footballer who played for Chivas’ Tapatío affiliate and scored goals for clubs like Tecos, Toluca, Veracruz, Atlético Celaya, and Querétaro. The nickname La Hormiga came from his father and was passed down to him.
This family connection led to comparisons with another famous Chivas academy product, Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, whose father also played for the club.
Coming Up Through the Academy
González came through the Chivas youth system, working his way up through the club’s age group teams from under 15 to under 23. He made his senior debut for Tapatío, the club’s reserve and developmental team, in November 2020 while still a teenager, and remained there for a few seasons, developing his game in the Liga de Expansión MX.
Chivas officially extended his contract to the first team level in January 2024, officially opening the door for his promotion to the Primera División.
Breaking Into Liga MX
González got his first Liga MX appearance in January 2024 with coach Fernando Gago. He needed a little time before he became a regular contributor,but when he did, it was hard to ignore the results. In the 2025 Apertura, he had one of the most outstanding seasons by a young Mexican forward in recent years.
He finished with 12 goals in 17 regular season games to win the Liga MX Golden Boot outright. This added to the feat of becoming just the fifth Mexican to win the scoring title in the last 15 years, and the most goals by a Mexican in a single season since Henry Martín scored 14 in 2023. That season Gonzáles didn’t lose a single match for Chivas when he scored and he also performed in big matches, like the winner against Club América in El Clásico Nacional and a hattrick against Club Atlas in the Clásico Tapatío in first place.
Particularly poignant was that hat-trick against Atlas. This milestone pushed his total career goals with Chivas beyond what his father had with the team, and the squad didn’t hesitate to boast about that.
Career Stats Snapshot
- 59 appearances for Guadalajara, 29 goals
- Liga MX Golden Boot winner, Apertura 2025 (12 goals)
- Clausura 2026 Player of the Tournament
- Liga MX top scorer for the 2025-26 season with 24 league goals combined
That is a player that was not one hot streak, he just kept production in tournament after tournament, that`s part of why his stock rose so quickly.
Earning a Spot With Mexico
González’s good performances with Chivas earned him his first call up to the Mexican national team under the management of Javier Aguirre in late 2025, for the combination matches against Uruguay and Paraguay. He debuted for El Tri in November 2025 and netted his first international goal against Iceland in February 2026; the scoring exploits helped to consolidate his position in the squad.
World Cup Debut
La rápida ascensión de González lo llevó a un lugar en la lista de México para la Copa del Mundo 2026 con sede parcial en casa. He came on in the tournament for the first time in the group stage match against South Africa, coming off the bench for Raúl Jiménez in the 76th minute with Mexico holding a 2-0 lead.
Se notó que estaba emocionado. Cameras captured González with tears in his eyes during the national anthem prior to kick-off and Chivas celebrated the milestone on their social media as soon as he stepped on the pitch, this is how much his rise meant not only to himself but to the club who raised him.
The Move to Europe
After shining in Mexico, González went to Europe, signing with Olympiacos in Greece in 2026. He retained the number 34 shirt he used to wear at Chivas for his journey abroad, a conscious and deliberate decision related to his father, who donned that very number during his own debut in the Primera División in the 1988-89 campaign.
Playing Style
González is a versatile attacker who can act as a traditional striker, a left winger, or even as a playmaker when required. He has demonstrated ability to score with both feet and his head from different areas of the field, which is one of the reasons why he is so difficult for rival defenses to handle despite his relatively small stature.
Away from the pitch, he has gained a sizable fanbase, in part as a result of his goal celebrations inspired by anime and manga, which have helped establish him as a recognizable and relatable figure particularly amongst younger supporters.
What’s Next
With a Golden Boot, Player of the Tournament, a World Cup debut and now a new challenge in European football, Armando González has crammed a huge amount of success into a short space of time. From his early displays in Greece, it seems the goals and records are nowhere near over yet.
