Chivas may have found their next Chicharito: Who is Hormiga González?

Chivas fans have seen young promises rise before. Few take the leap. Fewer do it with pressure, history and expectation all on their back. Armando “Hormiga” González is doing exactly that, and he is doing it fast.

At just 22, the striker from Guadalajara has become one of the defining stories of the Apertura 2025 a season where veterans have struggled and homegrown talent has demanded the spotlight again.

The numbers behind the breakout season

González leads the Apertura 2025 scoring race with 11 goals, tied with Atlético de San Luis’ João Pedro and Toluca’s Paulinho. His latest strike against Pachuca did more than move Chivas up the table; it matched a landmark that once belonged to the club’s greatest modern striker.

He tied Javier “Chicharito” Hernández’s record for most goals by a Mexican U-23 player in a short tournament with 11, a mark that stood untouched since Apertura 2009.

One more goal, and Hormiga owns it outright. The next chance comes at Estadio Akron against Monterrey, a matchup with weight, history and attention.

Chicharito’s role: a mentor in the shadows

Chicharito’s return to Chivas has not been defined by goals. It has been defined by guidance.

Videos have circulated of Hernández staying late with González, pointing, correcting, shaping movements inside the box. The interaction is not just symbolic; it is structural to Chivas’ long term plan.

Head coach Gabriel Milito summed it up clearly:

“There is no better reference for Hormiga than Javier Hernández. Even when he isn’t playing, Javier teaches what few can teach.”

Behind the scenes, Chicharito was also one of the first to support González through last year’s injury setback, another quiet chapter in a mentorship that now feels foundational.

Will he reach the national team?

Mexico has not been shy about looking for the next great No. 9. Fans have not been shy about demanding one. González’s mix of timing, calm finishing and competitive maturity has made him impossible to ignore.

His rise now puts him naturally in the conversation for a future El Tri call-up. And if history is any guide, Chivas may soon face the same equation they once did with Chicharito: develop, showcase and trust that Europe may eventually call.

The future arrives fast in Guadalajara

Armando González is not a promise anymore. He is production, presence and potential blending in real time. Chivas wanted a new face of the attack. Mexican football wanted a new young scorer to believe in.

They might both have found one.