Best Defensive Midfielders in the Liga MX (Jun 2026)

Ranked by Analytical Strength Score

Market Overview: Liga MX Defensive Midfielders 2022-23

Our database tracked 53 Liga MX Defensive Midfielders in the 2022-23 season, representing 18 clubs with a combined market value of €100.7M. The average market value for Liga MX Defensive Midfielders was €1.9M, with the average age at 27.0 years old.

The most valuable defensive midfielder in the Liga MX was Érik Lira, worth €9.0M and played for CD Cruz Azul at 26 years old. The top 5 Defensive Midfielders averaged €5.9M in market value, including Carlos Rodríguez and Rômulo.

Age distribution showed the youngest tracked defensive midfielder was Elías Montiel (20 years, CF Pachuca, €5.0M), while the oldest was Jonathan dos Santos (36 years, CF América, €350K). Research shows Defensive Midfielders typically peak at age 26-27.

Historical analysis showed 21 Defensive Midfielders (40%) increased in market value over the following 12 months based on age-curve trajectories, then-current performance trends, and playing time analysis. The Liga MX market for Defensive Midfielders remained actively developing with emerging talent in the 2022-23 season.

💡 Use the search bar below to find specific players, or apply filters to narrow results by club, age range, or market value. Click the chart icon next to any player to view their historical value trajectory and forecast.

Market Intelligence

Explore Market Size by Position in Liga MX

Interactive bubble chart showing predicted 2-year growth vs current age for all Liga MX Defensive Midfielders. Identify undervalued assets and track market momentum across 18 clubs with €100.7M combined value.

Players Tracked

By League

Premier League La Liga Bundesliga Serie A Ligue 1

By Position

GK CB LB RB CDM

More Positions

CM CAM LW RW ST

By Season

2025-26 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23

Age Distribution: Liga MX Defensive Midfielders

The Liga MX CDM market shows 5 distinct age segments, with the largest cohort in the 24-26 bracket (15 players, 28% of market). The 24-26 age group holds the most value at €34.4M, averaging €2.3M per player.

U21 years2 players (4%)

€5.4MAvg: €2.7M

Top player: Elías Montiel (€5.0M)

21-23 years10 players (19%)

€15.8MAvg: €1.6M

Top player: Fidel Ambríz (€4.5M)

24-26 years15 players (28%)

€34.4MAvg: €2.3M

Top player: Érik Lira (€9.0M)

27-29 years12 players (23%)

€22.8MAvg: €1.9M

Top player: Carlos Rodríguez (€5.5M)

30+ years14 players (26%)

€22.3MAvg: €1.6M

Top player: Luis Romo (€3.5M)

Top Defensive Midfielders by Age Bracket

U21 Years (2 players)

1. Elías Montiel(20yo)

€5.0M

2. César Garza(20yo)

€400K

21-23 Years (10 players)

1. Fidel Ambríz(23yo)

€4.5M

2. Denzell García(22yo)

€3.0M

3. Víctor Ríos(22yo)

€2.0M

4. Santiago Homenchenko(22yo)

€1.5M

5. Bernardo Parra(21yo)

€1.5M

24-26 Years (15 players)

1. Érik Lira(26yo)

€9.0M

2. Rômulo(26yo)

€5.0M

3. José Caicedo(24yo)

€4.0M

4. Franco Romero(26yo)

€4.0M

5. Pedro Pedraza(26yo)

€3.0M

27-29 Years (12 players)

1. Carlos Rodríguez(29yo)

€5.5M

2. Alan Cervantes(28yo)

€5.0M

3. Kevin Gutiérrez(28yo)

€3.5M

4. Fernando Arce(29yo)

€1.2M

5. Jefferson Intriago(29yo)

€1.2M

Market Value Distribution

Elite Tier Concentration

34%of market value

The top 6 Defensive Midfielders (11% of players) control €34.0M

1. Érik Lira€9.0M

2. Carlos Rodríguez€5.5M

3. Rômulo€5.0M

4. Alan Cervantes€5.0M

5. Elías Montiel€5.0M

Market Tiers

Mid (€5-15M)5 players (9%)

€29.5M

Emerging (<€5M)48 players (91%)

€71.2M

Market structure shows distributed value with mid (€5-15m) tier representing 9% of the Liga MX CDM pool.

Mid (€5-15M)

1. Érik Lira

CD Cruz Azul€9.0M

2. Carlos Rodríguez

CD Cruz Azul€5.5M

3. Rômulo

Tigres UANL€5.0M

4. Alan Cervantes

CF América€5.0M

5. Elías Montiel

CF Pachuca€5.0M

Emerging (<€5M)

1. Fidel Ambríz

CF Monterrey€4.5M

2. José Caicedo

UNAM Pumas€4.0M

3. Franco Romero

Deportivo Toluca€4.0M

4. Luis Romo

Deportivo Guadalajara€3.5M

5. Kevin Gutiérrez

Club Necaxa€3.5M

Club Distribution: Liga MX Defensive Midfielders

Among 18 Liga MX clubs, CD Cruz Azul leads with 2 Defensive Midfielders worth €14.5M (averaging €7.3M per player). The top 10 clubs account for 55% of tracked Defensive Midfielders.

CD Cruz Azul

2 players • €14.5M

CF Pachuca

4 players • €10.7M

CF América

4 players • €8.7M

CF Monterrey

2 players • €7.7M

Deportivo Guadalajara

3 players • €6.5M

Deportivo Toluca

3 players • €5.7M

UNAM Pumas

3 players • €5.6M

Santos Laguna

4 players • €5.2M

Tigres UANL

1 players • €5.0M

#10

Club Necaxa

3 players • €4.9M

CD Cruz Azul (2 Defensive Midfielders)

Érik Lira(26yo)

€9.0M

Carlos Rodríguez(29yo)

€5.5M

CF Pachuca (4 Defensive Midfielders)

Elías Montiel(20yo)

€5.0M

Pedro Pedraza(26yo)

€3.0M

Christian Rivera(30yo)

€1.5M

William Carvalho(34yo)

€1.2M

CF América (4 Defensive Midfielders)

Alan Cervantes(28yo)

€5.0M

Rodrigo Dourado(31yo)

€2.5M

Santiago Naveda(25yo)

€800K

Jonathan dos Santos(36yo)

€350K

CF Monterrey (2 Defensive Midfielders)

Fidel Ambríz(23yo)

€4.5M

Jorge Rodríguez(30yo)

€3.2M

Player Rankings

Ranked by APE Strength Score. Click any player to view full profile, or click the chart icon to see value history.

Érik Lira

CD Cruz Azul • 26 years old

€7.8M

€9.0M

+15.6%

€7.7M€9.9M

Expected: €8.8M

59.9

Carlos Rodríguez

CD Cruz Azul • 29 years old

€7.1M

€5.5M

-22.6%

€4.3M€5.4M

Expected: €4.8M

53.6

Rômulo

Tigres UANL • 26 years old

€4.3M

€5.0M

+15.6%

€4.3M€5.5M

Expected: €4.9M

52.5

Alan Cervantes

CF América • 28 years old

€5.3M

€5.0M

-5.4%

€3.9M€4.9M

Expected: €4.4M

52.2

Elías Montiel

CF Pachuca • 20 years old

€4.3M

€5.0M

+15.6%

€5.1M€6.8M

Expected: €6.0M

51.7

Fidel Ambríz

CF Monterrey • 23 years old

€3.9M

€4.5M

+15.6%

€4.2M€5.3M

Expected: €4.8M

51.7

José Caicedo

UNAM Pumas • 24 years old

€3.5M

€4.0M

+15.6%

€3.8M€4.8M

Expected: €4.3M

50.6

Franco Romero

Deportivo Toluca • 26 years old

€3.5M

€4.0M

+15.6%

€3.4M€4.4M

Expected: €3.9M

49.6

Luis Romo

Deportivo Guadalajara • 30 years old

€4.5M

€3.5M

-22.6%

€2.6M€3.3M

Expected: €2.9M

48.0

#10

Kevin Gutiérrez

Club Necaxa • 28 years old

€3.7M

€3.5M

-5.4%

€2.7M€3.4M

Expected: €3.1M

47.7

#11

Jorge Rodríguez

CF Monterrey • 30 years old

€4.1M

€3.2M

-22.6%

€2.3M€3.0M

Expected: €2.7M

46.9

#12

Rodrigo Echeverría

Club León FC • 31 years old

€3.9M

€3.0M

-22.6%

€2.2M€2.8M

Expected: €2.5M

42.7

#13

Denzell García

FC Juárez • 22 years old

€2.6M

€3.0M

+15.6%

€2.9M€3.7M

Expected: €3.3M

42.5

#14

Pedro Pedraza

CF Pachuca • 26 years old

€2.6M

€3.0M

+15.6%

€2.6M€3.3M

Expected: €2.9M

42.4

#15

Rodrigo Dourado

CF América • 31 years old

€3.2M

€2.5M

-22.6%

€1.8M€2.3M

Expected: €2.1M

40.3

#16

Víctor Ríos

Atlas Guadalajara • 22 years old

€1.7M

€2.0M

+15.6%

€1.9M€2.5M

Expected: €2.2M

37.4

#17

Roberto Meraz

Atlético de San Luis • 26 years old

€1.7M

€2.0M

+15.6%

€1.7M€2.2M

Expected: €2.0M

37.3

#18

Omar Govea

Deportivo Guadalajara • 30 years old

€2.3M

€1.8M

-22.6%

€1.3M€1.7M

Expected: €1.5M

36.0

#19

Aldo López

Santos Laguna • 26 years old

€1.6M

€1.8M

+15.6%

€1.5M€2.0M

Expected: €1.8M

35.9

#20

Carlos Gruezo

Santos Laguna • 31 years old

€1.9M

€1.5M

-22.6%

€1.1M€1.4M

Expected: €1.3M

33.9

Showing 1-20 of 53

Scout Tools

Advanced analytics for scouting and recruitment decisions. Each tool provides unique insights into player value, potential, and market dynamics.

Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

Identifies pre-peak players offering exceptional value relative to their age bracket. Higher PPVE = better value.

Understanding Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

UNAM Pumas's José Caicedo at 24 years old has the highest Pre-Peak Value Efficiency at 5.00×. That means José Caicedo is valued 5.00× higher than the median player in the 24-26 age bracket—representing exceptional value before reaching peak age.

In second is CF Monterrey's Fidel Ambríz, who is 23 years old, with a 3.00× PPVE. Third is Denzell García of FC Juárez, who is 22 years old with a 2.00× PPVE.

How PPVE is calculated: PPVE compares a player's current market value to the median value of all players in their age bracket. A PPVE of 5.00× means the player is worth 400% more than typical players their age—making them high-value targets before they reach peak value.

PPVE by Age Bracket

José CaicedoUNAM Pumas

24-26 • 24yo5.00×

€4.0M • 400% above median

Fidel AmbrízCF Monterrey

21-23 • 23yo3.00×

€4.5M • 200% above median

Denzell GarcíaFC Juárez

21-23 • 22yo2.00×

€3.0M • 100% above median

Santiago TrigosUNAM Pumas

24-26 • 24yo1.50×

€1.2M • 50% above median

Víctor RíosAtlas Guadalajara

21-23 • 22yo1.33×

€2.0M • 33% above median

Ángel ZapataClub Tijuana

24-26 • 25yo1.25×

€1.0M • 25% above median

Bernardo ParraQuerétaro FC

21-23 • 21yo1.00×

€1.5M • 0% above median

Elías MontielCF Pachuca

U21 • 20yo1.00×

€5.0M • 0% above median

Santiago NavedaCF América

24-26 • 25yo1.00×

€800K • 0% above median

Santiago HomenchenkoQuerétaro FC

21-23 • 22yo1.00×

€1.5M • 0% above median

Sebastián FierroMazatlán FC

24-26 • 24yo0.87×

€700K • -13% above median

Alberto HerreraMazatlán FC

24-26 • 25yo0.87×

€700K • -13% above median

Salvador MariscalSantos Laguna

21-23 • 23yo0.80×

€1.2M • -20% above median

Danny LeyvaClub Necaxa

21-23 • 23yo0.67×

€1.0M • -33% above median

Abraham BassAtlas Guadalajara

24-26 • 24yo0.37×

€300K • -63% above median

Rank	Player	Age	Bracket	Current Value	Bracket Median	PPVE
#1	José Caicedo UNAM Pumas	24	24-26	€4.0M	€800K	5.00×
#2	Fidel Ambríz CF Monterrey	23	21-23	€4.5M	€1.5M	3.00×
#3	Denzell García FC Juárez	22	21-23	€3.0M	€1.5M	2.00×
#4	Santiago Trigos UNAM Pumas	24	24-26	€1.2M	€800K	1.50×
#5	Víctor Ríos Atlas Guadalajara	22	21-23	€2.0M	€1.5M	1.33×
#6	Ángel Zapata Club Tijuana	25	24-26	€1.0M	€800K	1.25×
#7	Bernardo Parra Querétaro FC	21	21-23	€1.5M	€1.5M	1.00×
#8	Elías Montiel CF Pachuca	20	U21	€5.0M	€5.0M	1.00×
#9	Santiago Naveda CF América	25	24-26	€800K	€800K	1.00×
#10	Santiago Homenchenko Querétaro FC	22	21-23	€1.5M	€1.5M	1.00×
#11	Sebastián Fierro Mazatlán FC	24	24-26	€700K	€800K	0.87×
#12	Alberto Herrera Mazatlán FC	25	24-26	€700K	€800K	0.87×
#13	Salvador Mariscal Santos Laguna	23	21-23	€1.2M	€1.5M	0.80×
#14	Danny Leyva Club Necaxa	23	21-23	€1.0M	€1.5M	0.67×
#15	Abraham Bass Atlas Guadalajara	24	24-26	€300K	€800K	0.37×
#16	Ariel Gamarra Puebla FC	23	21-23	€500K	€1.5M	0.33×
#17	Víctor Arteaga Deportivo Toluca	22	21-23	€500K	€1.5M	0.33×
#18	Jorge García Mazatlán FC	24	24-26	€200K	€800K	0.25×
#19	Waldo Madrid Querétaro FC	22	21-23	€150K	€1.5M	0.10×
#20	César Garza UNAM Pumas	20	U21	€400K	€5.0M	0.08×

Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

Recovery potential from current value to forecasted peak. Shows how much upside remains for players approaching their prime.

Understanding Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

UNAM Pumas's César Garza at 20 years old has the highest Return-to-Peak Potential at +40%. That means César Garza is projected to appreciate 40% as they reach their peak age in 6 years—representing significant upside before entering their prime.

In second is CF Pachuca's Elías Montiel, who is 20 years old, with a +40% RPP (6 years to peak). Third is Bernardo Parra of Querétaro FC, who is 21 years old with a +35% RPP (5 years to peak).

How RPP is calculated: RPP compares a player's current market value to their forecasted peak value, calculating the percentage appreciation potential. A 40% RPP means the player is expected to gain 40% value as they enter their prime—making them excellent growth investments.

Recovery Potential by Player

César GarzaUNAM Pumas

6yr to peak+40%

€400K → €665K

Elías MontielCF Pachuca

6yr to peak+40%

€5.0M → €8.3M

Bernardo ParraQuerétaro FC

5yr to peak+35%

€1.5M → €2.3M

Víctor ArteagaDeportivo Toluca

4yr to peak+30%

€500K → €719K

Víctor RíosAtlas Guadalajara

4yr to peak+30%

€2.0M → €2.9M

Waldo MadridQuerétaro FC

4yr to peak+30%

€150K → €216K

Santiago HomenchenkoQuerétaro FC

4yr to peak+30%

€1.5M → €2.2M

Denzell GarcíaFC Juárez

4yr to peak+30%

€3.0M → €4.3M

Ariel GamarraPuebla FC

3yr to peak+25%

€500K → €668K

Danny LeyvaClub Necaxa

3yr to peak+25%

€1.0M → €1.3M

Salvador MariscalSantos Laguna

3yr to peak+25%

€1.2M → €1.6M

Fidel AmbrízCF Monterrey

3yr to peak+25%

€4.5M → €6.0M

Sebastián FierroMazatlán FC

2yr to peak+20%

€700K → €870K

Abraham BassAtlas Guadalajara

2yr to peak+20%

€300K → €373K

Santiago TrigosUNAM Pumas

2yr to peak+20%

€1.2M → €1.5M

Rank	Player	Age	Years to Peak	Current	Peak Forecast	RPP %
#1	César Garza UNAM Pumas	20	6	€400K	€665K	+40%
#2	Elías Montiel CF Pachuca	20	6	€5.0M	€8.3M	+40%
#3	Bernardo Parra Querétaro FC	21	5	€1.5M	€2.3M	+35%
#4	Víctor Arteaga Deportivo Toluca	22	4	€500K	€719K	+30%
#5	Víctor Ríos Atlas Guadalajara	22	4	€2.0M	€2.9M	+30%
#6	Waldo Madrid Querétaro FC	22	4	€150K	€216K	+30%
#7	Santiago Homenchenko Querétaro FC	22	4	€1.5M	€2.2M	+30%
#8	Denzell García FC Juárez	22	4	€3.0M	€4.3M	+30%
#9	Ariel Gamarra Puebla FC	23	3	€500K	€668K	+25%
#10	Danny Leyva Club Necaxa	23	3	€1.0M	€1.3M	+25%
#11	Salvador Mariscal Santos Laguna	23	3	€1.2M	€1.6M	+25%
#12	Fidel Ambríz CF Monterrey	23	3	€4.5M	€6.0M	+25%
#13	Sebastián Fierro Mazatlán FC	24	2	€700K	€870K	+20%
#14	Abraham Bass Atlas Guadalajara	24	2	€300K	€373K	+20%
#15	Santiago Trigos UNAM Pumas	24	2	€1.2M	€1.5M	+20%
#16	José Caicedo UNAM Pumas	24	2	€4.0M	€5.0M	+20%
#17	Jorge García Mazatlán FC	24	2	€200K	€249K	+20%
#18	Alberto Herrera Mazatlán FC	25	1	€700K	€809K	+14%
#19	Ángel Zapata Club Tijuana	25	1	€1.0M	€1.2M	+14%
#20	Santiago Naveda CF América	25	1	€800K	€925K	+14%

Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

Upside potential weighted against forecast uncertainty. Higher RAU = better risk-reward profile.

Understanding Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

CF Pachuca's Elías Montiel has the highest Risk-Adjusted Upside at 58.0. That means Elías Montiel has 19% upside potential with only 0% forecast uncertainty—representing excellent risk-reward for value appreciation.

In second is UNAM Pumas's César Garza with a 58.0 RAU (19% upside, 0% uncertainty). Third is Bernardo Parra of Querétaro FC with a 46.3 RAU (15% upside, 0% uncertainty).

How RAU is calculated: RAU divides upside potential by forecast uncertainty (RAU = Upside % ÷ Uncertainty %). A RAU of 58.0 means the upside is 58.0× greater than the uncertainty—making it a high-confidence growth opportunity. Target RAU ≥2.0 for balanced risk-reward.

Risk-Adjusted Upside by Player

Elías MontielCF Pachuca

↑19% / ±0%58.0

Range: €5.1M - €6.8M

César GarzaUNAM Pumas

↑19% / ±0%58.0

Range: €411K - €542K

Bernardo ParraQuerétaro FC

↑15% / ±0%46.3

Range: €1.5M - €2.0M

Santiago HomenchenkoQuerétaro FC

↑10% / ±0%38.7

Range: €1.5M - €1.9M

Denzell GarcíaFC Juárez

↑10% / ±0%38.7

Range: €2.9M - €3.7M

Waldo MadridQuerétaro FC

↑10% / ±0%38.7

Range: €146K - €185K

Víctor ArteagaDeportivo Toluca

↑10% / ±0%38.7

Range: €485K - €617K

Víctor RíosAtlas Guadalajara

↑10% / ±0%38.7

Range: €1.9M - €2.5M

José CaicedoUNAM Pumas

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €3.8M - €4.8M

Abraham BassAtlas Guadalajara

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €283K - €360K

Santiago TrigosUNAM Pumas

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €1.1M - €1.4M

Sebastián FierroMazatlán FC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €660K - €839K

Jorge GarcíaMazatlán FC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €188K - €240K

Salvador MariscalSantos Laguna

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €1.1M - €1.4M

Fidel AmbrízCF Monterrey

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €4.2M - €5.3M

Rank	Player	Expected	Range	Upside %	RAU
#1	Elías Montiel CF Pachuca	€6.0M	€5.1M-6.8M	+19%	58.0
#2	César Garza UNAM Pumas	€476K	€411K-542K	+19%	58.0
#3	Bernardo Parra Querétaro FC	€1.7M	€1.5M-2.0M	+15%	46.3
#4	Santiago Homenchenko Querétaro FC	€1.7M	€1.5M-1.9M	+10%	38.7
#5	Denzell García FC Juárez	€3.3M	€2.9M-3.7M	+10%	38.7
#6	Waldo Madrid Querétaro FC	€165K	€146K-185K	+10%	38.7
#7	Víctor Arteaga Deportivo Toluca	€551K	€485K-617K	+10%	38.7
#8	Víctor Ríos Atlas Guadalajara	€2.2M	€1.9M-2.5M	+10%	38.7
#9	José Caicedo UNAM Pumas	€4.3M	€3.8M-4.8M	+7%	27.5
#10	Abraham Bass Atlas Guadalajara	€321K	€283K-360K	+7%	27.5
#11	Santiago Trigos UNAM Pumas	€1.3M	€1.1M-1.4M	+7%	27.5
#12	Sebastián Fierro Mazatlán FC	€749K	€660K-839K	+7%	27.5
#13	Jorge García Mazatlán FC	€214K	€188K-240K	+7%	27.5
#14	Salvador Mariscal Santos Laguna	€1.3M	€1.1M-1.4M	+6%	23.0
#15	Fidel Ambríz CF Monterrey	€4.8M	€4.2M-5.3M	+6%	23.0
#16	Ariel Gamarra Puebla FC	€529K	€466K-593K	+6%	23.0
#17	Danny Leyva Club Necaxa	€1.1M	€931K-1.2M	+6%	23.0
#18	Jonathan González FC Juárez	€824K	€725K-923K	+3%	12.0
#19	Alberto Herrera Mazatlán FC	€717K	€631K-803K	+2%	9.8
#20	Santiago Naveda CF América	€819K	€721K-918K	+2%	9.8

Roster Pressure Index (RPI)

Squad depth pressure based on Z-score distribution. Negative RPI = thin depth, positive = deep roster.

What This Shows

Z-Score explained: Measures how many standard deviations a player's strength is from the position average. Z-Score = 0 means average, +1.0 is one standard deviation above average, -1.0 is below average.

How to use: RPI < -1.0 indicates critical depth shortage. These positions need immediate reinforcement. RPI > +1.0 suggests strong depth, allowing selective, high-value additions only.

Current market: defensive midfielder position shows weak depth (avg Z-score: -0.00). RPI: -0.00.

Position Depth Analysis

Total Players

-0.00

Avg Z-Score

-0.00

RPI Score

Weak DepthStrong Depth

-3.00+3.0

Highest Z-Scores

Érik Lira+4.09

Carlos Rodríguez+2.07

Rômulo+1.78

Alan Cervantes+1.78

Elías Montiel+1.78

Lowest Z-Scores

Waldo Madrid-1.01

Jorge García-0.98

Abraham Bass-0.92

Jonathan dos Santos-0.89

César Garza-0.86

Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

Identifies players capturing disproportionate value relative to age group representation. Positive ASC = value concentration.

Understanding Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

Mazatlán FC's Sebastián Fierro in the 24-26 age bracket has the highest Age-Share Concentration at +5.8%. That means Érik Lira captures 34.1% of total market value while representing only 28.3% of players in their age group—showing dominant elite status.

In second is Atlético de San Luis's Roberto Meraz with a +5.8% ASC (34.1% value share vs 28.3% player share in 24-26 bracket). Third is Jorge García of Mazatlán FC with a +5.8% ASC (34.1% value vs 28.3% players in 24-26 bracket).

How ASC is calculated: ASC = (% of total value) - (% of total players) in age bracket. A +5.8% ASC means the player captures 5.8% more market value than their numerical representation—indicating marquee status. ASC > +15% = elite dominance, ASC < -15% = potential value targets.