Víctor Guzmán: From Chivas youth to captaincy and a career of resilience

The profile of Víctor Guzmán, the Chivas asset who rose to captaincy in his first tournament, is told with clarity and purpose. Known to fans as “The small,” Guzmán has captured attention in the Liga MX scene for his explosive impact and consistent performances since debuting in Chivas’ colors and briefly stepping into the captaincy role for the rojiblancos.

Guzmán, aged 28, comes from Tonalá, Jalisco. He has emerged as one of the most influential and dynamic players for Chivas, having scored four goals without occupying the traditional central striker position during the 2023 Closure, the initial tournament he contested with Verde Valle as his home base.

@Chivas

Pocho already experienced two short spells with Chivas, and while those stints did not yield the breakthrough hoped, he has remained a reference point in Liga MX. Fans consistently called for him to be included in the Mexican national team setup under the guidance of coach Diego Cocca.

Early Steps with Pachuca

After not securing a prominent role within Chivas’ youth system, coach Diego Alonso invited Guzmán to join Pachuca during the 2015 Apertura. His first appearance with the senior squad came on July 28, while his official first-division debut occurred on August 11 against Rayados.

With Pachuca, Guzmán earned the two league titles that mark his career. The first title arrived in 2016 when his extra-time goal against Rayados helped Hidalgo’s side claim their sixth star.

Credit: Getty

In Apertura 2022, Pachuca reached back-to-back finals after losing in Clausura 2022, this time facing Toluca. Guzmán played a pivotal role as he secured his second championship before moving to Chivas.

Temporary Setbacks

Guzmán arrived at Chivas in 2020 under the direction of sports director Ricardo Peláez. A false-positive in an anti-doping test prevented him from taking even a single official minute during that season, delaying his competitive breakthrough with the team.

The midfielder returned to Pachuca afterward, training with the squad during the six months he was sidelined until the test results cleared him of the charges.

Interludes with Chivas

@Chivas

First Era:

Víctor Guzmán developed through Chivas’ youth ranks, playing for the club’s under-15, under-17, and under-20 teams, but never broke into the first team at that stage. Pachuca eventually offered him the platform for his big break.

Second Phase:

In 2020, Pocho became one of eight high-profile signings as Chivas worked to reinforce the squad with a budget of around 50 million dollars under Peláez. After testing positive in an anti-doping check, Guzmán’s minutes were severely limited, and he did not feature for the first team that season.

Third Chapter:

Chivas clinched the Liga MX title in Apertura 2022 and again pursued Guzmán, who was billed as a key reinforcement. Guadalajara negotiated the departure of Jesús Angulo from Pachuca and agreed on an additional transfer fee to bring Pocho into the rojiblanco fold.

Important context for this journey centers on Guzmán’s adaptability, leadership, and capacity to influence games from multiple offensive roles. His career trajectory reflects a player who can rise through youth systems, overcome setbacks, and thrive when given the chance to lead on the field.

In summary, Guzmán’s path—rising from Chivas’ early development stages to becoming a captain and a versatile attacking presence—highlights a career marked by resilience and significant contributions to his clubs in Mexican football.