A fundamental part of understanding what Chivas is and what it represents for society is the historic work it has undertaken out of conviction: to identify and develop young Mexican talent. This is a mission with which Gabriel Milito immediately identified, as throughout his coaching career, he has distinguished himself by trusting and promoting players trained in the youth ranks.
El Rebaño Sagrado has gone from strength to strength in the 2025 Apertura, largely due to the Argentine coach's good squad management, which includes players of all types, notably several young players who have been key to the team's strong performance.
Guadalajara and Milito have TOTAL confidence in the Rojiblanca youth academy, as evidenced by the club comfortably leading the table in minutes played by minors. They have registered twice the number of minutes required by Liga MX regulations. So far, they have played 2,301 minutes with six games still to play, while the rule only requires 1,170.
Under his management, Gabriel Milito has already given two Rojiblancos players their debut, but he has also relied heavily on players aged 22 or under, giving them an important role in the team's dynamics.
Bryan González has played the most minutes as a youth player, starring as the team's left back. Despite only playing his first few games with Guadalajara, "Cotorro" has already scored in both Liga MX and the Leagues Cup.
Then there is 'Hormiga' González, who has alternated between starting and substitute appearances, but with an enviable scoring streak this semester, with five goals in the league and one more in the Leagues Cup. Armando has demonstrated his scoring instinct, appearing at key moments for the Rojiblanco team.
There is also the case of Santiago Sandoval, who is just beginning his journey in the top flight but has had a solid impact on the team, with two goals to his name and considerable weight in the attack. He has even earned a starting spot in the most recent matches of the 2025 Apertura.
Another player who is used regularly is Cade Cowell, who has played in all 11 games of the 2025 Apertura, as he is consistently used as a substitute by the Rebaño coach.
We must also consider Hugo Camberos and Yael Padilla, who have not been able to appear as much as the rest due to the various training camps that the Mexican Under-20 team held prior to the start of their participation in the Under-20 World Cup, in which the Tricolor has already played its first two games.
We cannot overlook all the talent that the Rojiblanca youth academy has put at the service of the first team, as there are eight other youth players who are doing their bit to help Chivas finish as one of the strongest teams of the current semester.
The Distribution of Minutes Played by Chivas' Youth Players in AP25
- Bryan González: 912
- Armando González: 693
- Yael Padilla: 12 (excluding his minutes for the Mexican national team)
- Hugo Camberos: 109 (excluding his minutes for the Mexican national team)
- Santiago Sandoval: 518
- Cade Cowell: 451
- Samir Inda: 6
Rojiblanco Note...
- In the last two years alone, Chivas has debuted 17 players from the Rojiblanco youth academy: Raúl Rangel, Raul Martínez, Yael Padilla, Jesús Brigido, Mateo Chávez, Armando González, Gael García, Leonardo Sepúlveda, Teun Wilke, Miguel Gómez, Hugo Camberos, Diego Ochoa, Eduardo García, Daniel Flores, Diego Delgadillo, Santiago Sandoval, and Samir Inda.
