The Pumas UNAM are not going through a good run in Mexican soccer. In the Apertura 2025, the Pedregal team was eliminated early in the championship. Claudio Suarez, a legend of Mexican football, believes that the university team has lost its essence. The "Emperor" pointed out one clear issue: the absence of high-level players developed in the club's youth academy. Pumas UNAM had to resort to signing players like Jose Juan Macias to compensate for the shortcomings of a youth academy that has lost its luster.

“Unfortunately, Pumas has lost its essence. The youth academy isn't working. It's been so many years since you graduated (referring to generations trained at CU), and I don't know what's happened. It's said that the youth system isn't producing, and that's worrying,” Suarez said in statements published by Estadio Deportes.

Pumas UNAM hasn't won a Liga MX championship since the Clausura 2011. Guillermo Vazquez was the last to bring glory to “Los del Pedregal” after the final against Monarcas Morelia.

Efrain Juarez is under scrutiny

Coming from Colombian football, Efrain Juarez took the reins of Pumas UNAM. Juarez had high expectations after arriving at the club, but he hasn't been able to put his stamp on the team. Claudio Suarez believes he hasn't yet seen the coach's influence. "Pumas has a foundation, but with Efrain's arrival, who has already been in charge for two tournaments, nothing clear has been seen yet (...) It's not enough to change management; we have to recover our identity, invest in young players, and rebuild from the ground up," he explained. In March 2025, Efrain Juarez took the reins of Pumas UNAM. The Mexico City native has already managed 35 matches with the club. Juarez has a record of 12 wins, 10 draws, and 13 losses.