Their 2026 World Cup
Four matches and an assist against South Africa on Mexico's opening day.
Match by match
É. Lira played 4 matches for Mexico, starting every one.
| Round | Match | His game |
|---|---|---|
| Group A | vs South Africa 2-0 | Started, off on 76′ · 1 assist |
| Group A | vs South Korea 1-0 | Started, played the full match |
| Round of 32 | vs Ecuador 2-0 | Started, played the full match |
| Round of 16 | vs England 2-3 | Started, played the full match |
Who he is
- Born
- 8 May 2000 · aged 26 at the World Cup
- Birthplace
- Cuauhtémoc
- Height
- 1.72 m
Data: Wikidata (CC0).
Biography
Érik Antonio Lira Méndez (born 8 May 2000) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Liga MX club Cruz Azul, which he captains, and the Mexico national team.
Pumas UNAM Lira began his career in 2013 when he joined the youth academy of Pumas UNAM. Five years later, he moved to Necaxa, making his professional debut on 1 August 2018, in a Copa MX match against Tampico Madero. He eventually returned to Pumas, where he marked his Liga MX debut on 3 August 2020, contributing to a victory over Atlas.
Cruz Azul On 4 January 2022, Lira signed with Cruz Azul on a contract extending through December 2025. He made his debut for the club on 9 January against Tijuana. On 26 June 2022, he won his first professional title when Cruz Azul defeated Atlas on penalties to win the Supercopa de la Liga MX. Lira made his debut as club captain on 31 August 2024 in a 4–1 home victory over América in the Clásico Joven. On 1 June 2025, Cruz Azul won the CONCACAF Champions Cup after defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the final, marking Lira's second title with the club.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · opening summary of the article.
Tournament data from API-Football. See more rankings on the World Cup data hub.
Photo: Selección Nacional de México · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)