Alison Gonzalez is in superb form in the Mexican league
She top-scored in the CONCACAF qualifiers for Uruguay 2018
“We want to be the champions”
When it comes to scoring goals, there is no one who does it better in the Liga MX Femenil than Tigres UANL's Alison Gonzalez. With her lightning speed, she can give opposition defenders the slip with ease, while her ball skills allow her to evade markers and create the space she needs to shoot on goal.
It comes as no surprise then that Gonzalez stands atop the league scoring charts with six goals in seven games. What is surprising is that she is only 16.
That combination of youth and top-flight experience explains why Mexico fans are getting excited ahead of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Uruguay 2018.
Gonzalez has no intention of letting them down, having embarked on her Tri career in truly impressive fashion, top-scoring in the CONCACAF qualifiers with five goals.
“We improved as the tournament went on,” she told FIFA.com. “Sadly, we couldn’t win the title but we did come close. I felt good on a collective and personal level, and fortunately I was able to make a contribution for the team. So I was pleased with my performance, although winning the final would have been perfect.”
“It’s just been a fantastic experience for me, and I’m going to keep working hard to make sure it continues.”
The lowdown on Alison Gonzalez
Born on 31 January 2002, in Nayarit
Made her league debut aged 15 on 5 January, against Necaxa
Scored five goals in her first league season
Started out as a midfielder before current national team coach Monica Vergara switched her to attack
She loves playing FIFA, her favourite way of passing the time
Listens to all types of music but has a soft spot for love songs
Born far from Monterrey, the city she now calls home, Gonzalez had to leave her family at a young age to pursue her dream of making it as a footballer. She has been rewarded with an unforgettable 2018, during which she has scored a goal every 75 minutes, just one of her many impressive stats in a stellar few months.
In keeping her feet on the ground, however, she is aware that the toughest test of her year so far will come on 13 November, when Mexico open their Uruguay 2018 campaign against South Africa, in a Group B that also features women’s football heavyweights Brazil and Japan.
“It’s a really tough group with some top quality opposition, but we’re a good side too,” she explained. “We’ve got a lot going for us, as we showed in the qualifiers, and we always try to get the best possible results we can.”
As the in-form striker went on to explain, El Tri have their sights set high: a place in the final in Montevideo on 1 December, which would give her the opportunity to set the seal on a remarkable 2018 that has brought her plenty of goals and emotional highs.
“Our aim is to win the competition, though we have to take it one match at a time, stay focused, and put everything that we’ve been doing into practice.”