Alex Zendejas is reportedly moving closer to making his first appearance of 2026.
Zendejas returned to Club America training on Tuesday after a lengthy absence due to lingering muscle injuries, Mexican outlet Estadio Deportes reported. The American winger had been out of action since late-November, last featuring against Monterrey on Nov. 29 in the Liga MX Playoffs.
It is undetermined if Zendejas will make his Clausura debut on Saturday against Necaxa, but he could be back for February’s CONCACAF Champions Cup opener against Olimpia.
Zendejas played a key role once again for Club America during the Apertura season, scoring six goals and adding three assists in 16 league appearances. He also scored once in Champions Cup action last year, and added one assist in Leagues Cup play.
The 27-year-old has scored 50 goals in 173 appearances for the Eagles since joining from Necaxa in January 2022. He has amassed 290 appearances in his club career to date, which also featured stops at FC Dallas, Chivas, and Zacatepec.
Zendejas’ productive time at Club America has led to him earning 13 caps for the U.S. men’s national team to date in all competitions. He last featured in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad last September against Japan.
Club America is winless in its first three Liga MX matches of 2026.
Still hope there’s a place for Zendejas on the WC squad. Especially in that 3-4-2-1 we’ve been featuring, that puts him as an inverted RW alongside Pulisic/Luna, and I love his ability to play in tight spaces and work combinations in the final third, and I also love the fact that he’s left-footed because it means he plays in the half-spaces instead of getting sideline chalk on his heels. It’s such a capability multiplier when you’ve got strong wingbacks – and ours are extremely strong. We have plenty of athleticism and skill providing us width, but the ability to play in a shoebox in the final third has historically where we’ve always been weak – my God, Berhalter Ball was Exhibit A for that – and our athletes and player profiles are such we are definitely going to run into teams that try to bunker this WC as opposed to trying to punch with us in the open field. Guys like Zendejas can pick the lock, and he’s pretty much made for that 3-4-2-1. It’s going to be a tough ask with Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, and a suddenly resurgent Brendan Aaronson all vying for spots, but rosters go 26, I believe (I haven’t heard anything on the potential 30-man rosters yet), and if we bring only 5 CB’s we’d have room for a likely six wide attackers and that puts him right on the bubble. I’d personally really try to find a spot for him; he’s not a starter in this group but he could absolutely be exactly what the doctor ordered against an entrenched low block.
guys i would play at RF before i would even think of sending zendejas an email — dest pulisic reyna mckennie luna weah tillman ferreira, heck, yow or campbell. at country level what zendejas has generally done is dance around like a nervous wreck. hence the lucky japan finish aside, goal grenada, assist st. kitts.
wing equivalent of sargent or musah. lots of fans, little product.