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Érik Lira

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Érik Lira
Lira with Mexico in 2026
Personal information
Full name Érik Antonio Lira Méndez
Date of birth (2000-05-08) 8 May 2000 (age 26)
Place of birth Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Mexico
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Cruz Azul
Number 6
Youth career
2013–2018 Pumas UNAM
2018–2020 Necaxa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019 Necaxa 0 (0)
2020–2021 Pumas UNAM 57 (0)
2022– Cruz Azul 174 (2)
International career‡
2021–2023 Mexico U23 9 (0)
2021– Mexico 29 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Mexico
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner2025 United States–CanadaTeam
CONCACAF Nations League
Winner2025 United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place2023 SantiagoTeam
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19 September 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 07:50, 6 July 2026 (UTC)

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.[2]

Club career

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Pumas UNAM

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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.[1]

Cruz Azul

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On 4 January 2022, Lira signed with Cruz Azul on a contract extending through December 2025.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5] Following the departure of Ignacio Rivero on 6 January 2026, Lira was officially appointed as the permanent club captain.[6] Four months later, he lifted his first trophy as captain on 24 May, when Cruz Azul defeated Pumas UNAM 2–1 on aggregate to win the Clausura 2026 championship.[7] At the start of the 2026–27 season, Lira secured his second trophy as captain, and his fourth overall with the club, by winning the Campeón de Campeones.[8]

In late August 2026, Cruz Azul and Monaco reached an agreement for Lira’s transfer. The deal collapsed on 1 September after the French side failed to free up a non-EU spot to register the Mexican midfielder.[9][10][11][12]

International career

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In May 2021, Lira was called up by Jaime Lozano to participate with the Mexico under-23 team for June friendlies against Romania, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.[13] On 27 October, Lira made his senior national team debut under Gerardo Martino in a friendly match against Ecuador.[14]

On 10 October 2023, Lira was included Ricardo Cadena's Mexico under-23 roster for the Pan American Games.[15] Mexico attained the bronze medal after defeating the United States 4–1 in the third-place match.

Lira was named in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted on home soil.[16][17]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played on 19 September 2026[18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Necaxa 2018–19 Liga MX —30——30
Pumas UNAM 2020–21 Liga MX 360——2[a]0380
2021–22 210———210
Total 570——20590
Cruz Azul 2021–22 Liga MX 200—5[b]0—250
2022–23 360——1[c]0370
2023–24 350——1[a]0360
2024–25 391—7[b]04[a]0501
2025–26 370—6[b]14[d]0471
2026–27 71——5[e]0121
Total 1742—1811502073
Career total 2312301811702693
  1. 1 2 3 Appearances in Leagues Cup
  2. 1 2 3 Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup
  3. ↑ Appearance in Supercopa de la Liga MX
  4. ↑ Three appearances in Leagues Cup, one appearance in FIFA Intercontinental Cup
  5. ↑ One appearance in Campeón de Campeones, three appearances in Leagues Cup, one appearance in Campeones Cup

International

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As of match played on 5 July 2026[19]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Mexico 202120
202210
202310
202410
2025120
2026120
Total290

Honours

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Cruz Azul

Mexico U23

Mexico

Individual

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Erik Lira" (in Spanish). Cruz Azul. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Érik Lira".
  3. ↑ "Cruz Azul anuncia la incorporación de Erik Lira para el Clausura 2022". ESPN México (in Spanish). 4 January 2022.
  4. ↑ Medel, Édgar Malagón (2 September 2024). "Erik Lira habla sobre su capitanía en Cruz Azul". Mediotiempo.
  5. ↑ Rosas, Javier (2 June 2025). "Cruz Azul aplasta al Vancouver y se corona en la Champions Cup". ESPN.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "Cruz Azul: ¿Quién se perfila como capitán ante salida de Rivero?". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). 7 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "Erik Lira levantó la Décima Liga MX con la playera de Cruz Azul". Vamos Azul (in Spanish). 24 May 2026. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Máquina imparable: Cruz Azul vence a Toluca y conquista el Campeón de Campeones 2026". Sports Illustrated (in Spanish). 25 July 2026. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "¿Por qué no llegó Erik Lira al Mónaco?". www.espn.com.mx. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  10. ↑ Ramírez, Mariana (1 September 2026). "Erik Lira se cae del Monaco: La venta de Cruz Azul se cancela de última hora". MARCA México (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "Erik Lira no va al Mónaco; se cae su fichaje en el último minuto". El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "Erik Lira's move to Monaco falls through due to Folarin Balogun's failed move to Everton". www.espn.com. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Selección Nacional de México".
  14. ↑ "México inicia con cuatro debutantes ante Ecuador, entre ellos Santi Giménez". espndeportes.espn.com. 27 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Cruz Azul sólo cederá un jugador Sub 23 para los Panamericanos".
  16. ↑ "Al Llamado | Convocatoria de la SNM para la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026" [Call-up | Mexico national team squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup] (in Spanish). Mexican Football Federation. 31 May 2026. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "World Cup 2026 squad lists: England, Scotland, Brazil, USA, Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Portugal and more". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 2 August 2026. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  18. ↑ Érik Lira at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Érik Lira". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 6 September 2026.
  20. ↑ "United States 1-2 Mexico: Mauricio Pochettino's side beaten in Gold Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  21. ↑ "Mexico win first Nations League final thanks to Raúl Jiménez double". The Guardian. 24 March 2025. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  22. ↑ Editorial Mediotiempo (17 December 2021). "Atlas domina el 11 ideal del A2021; sin rastro de jugadores de Chivas o Cruz Azul" [Atlas dominates the ideal eleven of A2021; no trace of players from Chivas or Cruz Azul.]. Mediotiempo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 July 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  23. ↑ MLSsoccer staff (19 July 2021). "Updated Liga MX 2021 MLS All-Star Game Roster". MLS Soccer. Archived from the original on 1 July 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "LIGA MX announces roster for 2022 MLS All-Star Game at Allianz Field". Major League Soccer. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  25. ↑ MLSsoccer staff (9 July 2025). "2025 LIGA MX All-Star Team Roster". MLS Soccer. Archived from the original on 1 July 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  26. ↑ Mediotiempo, Editorial (27 July 2026). "Liga MX revela su equipo de estrellas para el All-Star Game 2026". Mediotiempo.
  27. ↑ "Lista de ganadores del Balón de Oro de la Liga MX 2025-2026 | TUDN Liga MX | TUDN". www.tudn.com. 26 July 2026.
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