Edson Álvarez facts for kids
Álvarez with West Ham United in 2024
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Edson Omar Álvarez Velázquez | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 24 October 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tlalnepantla, Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder / Centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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West Ham United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| –2014 | Pachuca | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | América | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | América | 86 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2023 | Ajax | 98 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | West Ham United | 59 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Mexico U18 | 2 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Mexico U20 | 10 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017– | Mexico | 92 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 04:39, 7 July 2025 (UTC) |
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Edson Omar Álvarez Velázquez (born 24 October 1997) is a Mexican professional footballer. He plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for West Ham United. He also captains the Mexico national team.
Contents
Early Life and Football Dreams
Edson Álvarez was born in Tlalnepantla de Baz, a town near Mexico City. His parents are Adriana Velázquez and Evaristo Álvarez. When he was a kid, he helped his family make football kits for local teams. He says this was his first step into the world of football.
At age 10, Edson joined the Pachuca football club. But two years later, he left because he was too short. He thought about giving up football. However, his parents believed in his talent. So, Edson decided to try out for Club América's youth team. After three months of trying, he made the team!
Getting to practice was a big challenge. Edson had to travel three to four hours every day from his home to the club's training ground. He spent almost 70% of his monthly earnings on transportation. This shows how dedicated he was to his dream.
Club Career Highlights
Starting at América
In 2014, when he was 16, Edson Álvarez joined Club América's youth system. He played for their under-17 team. The next year, he moved up to América's second division team.
In August 2016, Edson got his first call-up to the main team. He made his league debut on 29 October, playing the whole game. On 25 December, he scored his first goal in a final match against Tigres UANL.
Edson continued to shine. On 16 December 2018, he started in the Apertura final and scored two goals. This helped América win their 13th league title! On 23 February 2019, he played his 100th game for América.
Moving to Ajax
On 19 July 2019, Edson joined the Dutch club AFC Ajax. He signed a five-year contract for about US$17 million. He was given the number 4 jersey.
Edson made his debut for Ajax on 17 August. On 29 August, he scored his first goal for Ajax in a UEFA Champions League play-off game. Then, on 17 September, he scored again in a Champions League group stage match. He became the first Mexican player to score in his Champions League debut!
On 21 March 2021, Edson scored his first Eredivisie goal for Ajax. He also played the entire Dutch Cup final which Ajax won. At the end of his second season, he was nominated for the league's Player of the Year Award.
On 27 October 2021, Edson signed a new contract with Ajax, keeping him until 2025. On 30 April 2022, he played his 100th game for the club. This made him part of Ajax's "Club van 100," a special group of players who have played 100 or more games.
Joining West Ham United
On 10 August 2023, Edson moved to the English club West Ham United. He signed a five-year contract for about £35 million. He was given the number 19 jersey. He is the fourth Mexican player to play for West Ham.
He made his debut on 20 August, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 win against Chelsea. On 14 December 2023, Edson scored his first goal for West Ham in a Europa League game. On 2 March 2024, he scored his first Premier League goal against Everton.
International Career for Mexico
Youth Teams
Edson played for Mexico's under-20 team. He was part of the squad for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship and the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He even scored the winning goal in a World Cup match against Vanuatu.
Senior National Team
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On 30 January 2017, Edson was called up to the senior national team. He made his debut on 8 February against Iceland. He was the youngest player on the squad for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. On 17 July, he scored his first goal for the national team against Curaçao. This made him the youngest Mexican player to score in a Gold Cup tournament at 19 years old.
In May 2018, Edson was chosen for Mexico's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was the youngest player on the team. He played in all of Mexico's group stage matches.
In May 2019, Edson was part of Mexico's 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup team. He played in five matches, including the final, as Mexico won the tournament.
He was also part of Mexico's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He played in group stage matches against Poland and Saudi Arabia.
On 6 July 2025, Edson scored the winning goal in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup final against the United States. He was also given the Golden Ball award, which means he was the best player of the tournament!
International Goals
Here are the goals Edson Álvarez has scored for the Mexico national team:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 July 2017 | Alamodome, San Antonio, United States |  Curaçao |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 2 | 15 November 2019 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama |  Panama |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 3 | 27 March 2022 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras |  Honduras |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 21 November 2023 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico | Honduras |
2–0 | 2–0 (aet) | 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 5 | 21 March 2024 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States | Panama |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2024 CONCACAF Nations League Finals |
| 6 | 14 June 2025 | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, United States |  Dominican Republic |
1–0 | 3–2 | 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 7 | 6 July 2025 | NRG Stadium, Houston, United States |  United States |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup final |
Awards and Achievements
Edson Álvarez has won many awards and titles throughout his career:
Club Trophies
- América
* Liga MX: Apertura 2018 * Copa MX: Clausura 2019
- Ajax
* Eredivisie: 2020–21, 2021–22 * KNVB Cup: 2020–21
International Trophies
- Mexico
* CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2019, 2023, 2025 * CONCACAF Nations League: 2024–25
Individual Awards
- CONCACAF U-20 Championship Best XI: 2017
- CONCACAF Best XI: 2018, 2021
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Ball: 2025
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2021, 2025
- IFFHS Men's CONCACAF Best XI: 2020, 2021, 2024
- Club van 100 (Ajax)
- CONCACAF Nations League Finals Best XI: 2024, 2025
See also
In Spanish: Edson Álvarez para niños
