It looks like a utopia, but Erik Lira could play in Europe. Unofficial versions place the Mexico national team midfielder on Manchester City's radar, due to monitoring by the City Football Group.

The Cruz Azul midfielder was one of the three Aztec players with the highest performance in the 2026 World Cup, along with Julián Quiñones and Johan Vásquez. Lira was an unmovable starter in all five Tricolor games, totaling 450 minutes of play.

The engine of the Mexican team in the 2026 World Cup

The light blue containment won the title from Edson Álvarez (Fenerbahçe) and was a guarantee as a half shield against South Africa, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Ecuador and England.

After his outstanding World Cup, the possibility of emigrating to the Old Continent is high. It turned out that the Cruz Azul board will fulfill the promise made to the former Pumas player: to give him facilities to leave if a European offer arrives.

Girona or Troyes: The City Football Group's options

Reports indicate that Lira's landing in European football would be through Troyes, a club that was recently promoted to Ligue 1 in France and belongs to the City conglomerate. However, Girona from Spain, another team in the same group, has not been ruled out as a destination.

The university youth player preferred to isolate himself from the rumors during the World Cup. He left all management in the hands of his representative with a clear order: only receive information when there was a specific proposal.

The consolidation of the Cruz Azul benchmark

Erik Lira debuted in Pumas and arrived at the Blue Machine in 2021. After five years in the institution, he has almost 200 official matches and is established as an absolute reference in the midfield. His high level against world powers like England dispelled any doubts about his ability. Lira's jump to the elite leagues seems only a matter of time.