Mexican Players Abroad

Giovani dos Santos will not be excited to learn that his fellow Major League Soccer players think he's the most overrated player in the league.

In an anonymous survey conducted by ESPN, 11 percent of MLS players surveyed said they thought the LA Galaxy forward was the most overrated player in the league. Also voted to be overrated were Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, Gyasi Zardes, Paul Arriola, Benny Feilhaber and Tim Howard. Discerning readers will notice that those are, with the exception of dos Santos, who plays for Mexico, all United States internationals. 

Mexico's stars abroad are shining bright after an extraordinary week in European leagues.

With four goals, two assists and one title won over the weekend, Mexican fans can dream big going into the international break.

And so we thought it was worth compiling the best images and moments for Mexican players in Europe.

To begin with, Hirving "Chucky" Lozano scored once again in the Eredivisie. Chucky scored his 13th league goal for PSV in their 3-0 victory against Venio. 

Lozano is tied in second place behind Fran Sol in the Eredivisie's top scorer table.

Miguel Layún scored his first goal for Sevilla in his team's defeat against Leganés.

Questioned about his performances in recent weeks, Layún is finally showing signs of adaptation and getting back in form.

The Mexican international arrived in Sevilla a few months ago after he was transferred from Porto.

In Portugal, Layún had some excellent moments. For instance, he became one of Europe's players with most assists in 2016.

With 102 appearances, 18 goals and as a veteran of two World Cups, history is on Giovani dos Santos’ side. However, his play on the field over the last year and a half makes his inclusion in Mexico’s 2018 World Cup squad, by Juan Carlos Osorio’s own stated standards, a real doubt.

When Dos Santos arrived in MLS in 2016, his initial return of 14 goals, 12 assists and a place in the MLS Best XI seemed to fully justify a Designated Player salary of $5.5 million per year. 

Mexico international Hector Moreno has made just two league appearances for Real Sociedad since moving there from Roma in the January transfer window, but the center back is already making a difference. Moreno netted Real Sociedad's opener against Alaves off a corner kick in the sixth minute Sunday. Real Sociedad would score again in the 11th minute and go on to win 2-1.

Hirving "Chucky" Lozano has been tearing up the Eredivisie all season. The Mexican international is the league’s leading scorer and has helped PSV Eindhoven maintain its spot at the top of the league table. But this season there has been no legal Eredivisie U.S. streaming service — until now. 

Hirving "Chucky" Lozano is having quite the first season in the Eredivisie. The 22-year-old Mexico international leads the Dutch league with 13 goals and is tied for seventh with seven assists. He also, curiously, is tied for first in red cards, with two. Also curiously, both of his red cards have come against the same club, Heerenveen. Maybe he doesn't like their uniforms.

Make it 16 goals from 18 games for Mexico international Charlyn Corral in this season’s Primera Division (the Spanish women’s top flight). The 26-year-old native of Acolman, Mexico, has been Levante’s top scorer the previous two seasons, and she’s currently leading the division after adding another against Sevilla on Saturday.

Did she mean it? Who knows, it’s still a long-range crack that’s probably the best scored in match week 19.

¡¡¡Q-U-É G-O-L-A-Z-O!!!

After enduring a January full of transfer rumors, Javier Hernandez is responding with his finest form of the season. The Mexican striker found the back of the net again with a well-placed header for West Ham on Saturday. The Chicharito goal vs Watford was his third goal in four matches. 

We've written about Hirving "Chucky" Lozano's so-far excellent first season in Europe more times than we can count, but we are going to do it again because Chucky scored again.

Lozano finished off a wonderful team move for PSV (the assist from Luuk de Jong is just great) in the 17th minute against Excelsior in the Eredivisie Wednesday. It was the only goal of the match.