Mexico and the United States met again on October 3 in Arizona, and the match produced a flashpoint that quickly put Mateo Chávez in the spotlight. It happened in the 67th minute, after Chávez committed a foul on Yunus Musah. Sebastian Berhalter approached the Mexican player to confront him about the challenge, and the exchange escalated when the American pushed him. Chávez responded with a slap to the face, Berhalter fell to the ground, and several players rushed over to the scene. The referee’s response was immediate: a straight red card for Chávez, who had entered at the start of the second half in place of Jesús Gallardo. Mexico went on to lose the match to the United States.
Behind that dismissal is a 22-year-old Mexican player who began his development in Chivas’ youth academy. He moved through Tapatío before reaching the first team, where he made his Liga MX debut in January 2024. His time in Mexican soccer was brief, and in July 2025 AZ Alkmaar signed him, taking the left back to the Netherlands to continue his professional career.
A year after moving to Europe, Chávez experienced one of the biggest moments of his career. The fullback was part of the Mexico national team at the 2026 World Cup and played in his first-ever World Cup. His performance did not go unnoticed: in Mexico’s 3-0 win over the Czech Republic, Chávez scored a goal and was named the MVP of the match, becoming one of the standout players in that performance by the Mexican team.
Chávez’s story is also connected to a familiar figure in Mexican soccer. He is the son of Paulo César “Tilón” Chávez, a former Chivas and Monterrey player who came close to making the 1998 France World Cup squad but was left out of the final roster at the last moment.