The truth about Club América’s Álvaro Fidalgo, the midfielder dividing opinion

Álvaro Fidalgo has long divided opinion among Liga MX fans. The Spanish midfielder quickly became a key player for Club América, known for his composure on the ball and pinpoint passing accuracy. Yet, some critics have dismissed his influence, accusing him of “only passing backward”- a claim the numbers don’t support.

Liga MX’s biggest “backward” culprit

According to data from Be Soccer Pro, Fidalgo doesn’t even rank among the top five Liga MX players who pass backward most often during the Apertura 2025 season. That list is led by Monterrey’s Sergio Canales, who has played the ball back 170 times in 13 matches.

Canales’ teammate Gerardo Arteaga follows with 155 backward passes, while Chivas defender Bryan González rounds out the top three with 153. Fidalgo, meanwhile, ranks all the way down in eighth place, with 125 backward passes over 15 matches.

A creative force going forward

Beyond the numbers, other data sets reinforce how central Fidalgo is to América’s attacking rhythm. According to Statiskicks, he’s the second midfielder in Liga MX with the most forward passes per game, a clear indicator of his willingness to drive play forward and create chances for the high-powered América attack.

In total, Fidalgo has appeared in 15 matches this season, starting 11 of them. He’s scored once and has been shown just one yellow card.

Fidalgo key to América’s title push

América will need Fidalgo at his best to challenge for the top spot in the standings. The upcoming weekend offers a golden opportunity for Las Águilas to move into first place. To do so, they’ll have to defeat Toluca and hope Cruz Azul drops points against Pumas in Matchday 17.

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