Armando González’s Hot Start Puts World Cup Case in Play
Intro: Armando González has opened the campaign in red-hot form, scoring in four of his first five appearances for his club and pushing his name into the conversation for Mexico’s 2026 World Cup roster. As of Feb. 15, 2026 (ET), the 22-year-old striker is combining club trust, past scoring pedigree and public endorsements to press his case for national selection.
Club form and momentum
González has been handed the starting center-forward role and has responded with consistency. He found the net in victories over Pachuca, Querétaro, Atlético San Luis and Mazatlán, tallying four goals in five matches this season. That follows a standout Apertura 2025 campaign in which he finished the regular phase as the top scorer with 12 goals in 17 appearances, demonstrating that last season’s output was not a one-off.
His coach has shown clear faith, keeping him as the focal point of the attack and supplying regular minutes. That continuity has allowed González—nicknamed “La Hormiga”—to build rhythm and contribute as both a finisher and a tactical focal point in the final third.
In the current scoring table, Joao Pedro sits atop with five goals, while González shares the next tier with another forward at four. The numbers underline that he is among the league’s most in-form finishers as the campaign unfolds.
National team prospects and competition
González’s club production has put him squarely inside the national team orbit. He has featured in the last three friendly matches for Mexico, receiving minutes but still searching for his first international goal. That lack of a national strike has not dampened the discussion: his scoring run domestically is being weighed against a deep pool of attacking options.
Established names and rising talents occupy Mexico’s forward depth chart, which means competition is fierce for places on the 2026 World Cup roster. Still, several voices in the game have publicly endorsed González’s candidacy, highlighting his hunger and potential to provide a different attacking dynamic as a substitute or tactical change-maker.
One former national team striker was unequivocal in backing González as a plausible choice for a third center-forward slot, pointing to his growth trajectory and capacity to be an effective impact player if selected.
Contract status, valuation and outlook
González is tied to his club with a contract that runs through the end of 2029 following a renewal in December 2025. The club has placed a high market valuation on the 22-year-old, signaling that any sale would need to meet a significant price threshold—figures in discussion place the floor in the multi-million-dollar range.
That financial protection reflects both his immediate output and longer-term upside. If he maintains his scoring frequency and adds meaningful contributions in domestic competition and, potentially, continental play, interest from abroad could intensify. A move to Europe would replicate a path recently taken by another prominent Mexican striker and would materially alter the calculus for national team selection.
For now, González’s campaign is a story of momentum: sustained goal-scoring, club confidence, and growing public endorsement that together make a compelling argument for a place in Mexico’s plans for 2026. The next weeks of league play—and any opportunities in international friendlies—will be decisive in determining whether the forward can convert strong form into a World Cup berth.
