Javier Aquino, the Mexican player with the most titles in Tigres UANL history, has ended his contract with the Monterrey club after nearly 11 years. His tenure with the team featured multiple Liga MX championships and international trophies. The club acknowledged his legacy in an official statement.
Javier Ignacio Aquino Carmona, from San Francisco Ixhuatán in Oaxaca, began his career in Cruz Azul's youth academy, debuting in Primera División in 2010. He was part of the Mexican national team that won gold at the 2012 London Olympics, beating Brazil 2-1 in the final.
In January 2013, he joined Villarreal CF in Spain's Segunda División, helping secure promotion to LaLiga. He was later loaned to Rayo Vallecano for the 2014/2015 season before returning to Mexico.
Aquino joined Tigres UANL in June 2015, fitting in as a left winger and fullback in a competitive project. In his first semester, he played in the 2015 Copa Libertadores, where the team reached the final against River Plate but did not win the title.
His achievements with Tigres include five Liga MX titles: Apertura 2015 against Pumas UNAM, Apertura 2016, Apertura 2017, Clausura 2019, and Clausura 2023. He also won four Campeón de Campeones, the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League, and the 2018 and 2023 Campeones Cup.
Overall, he played 442 official matches, scored 26 goals, and provided dozens of assists, establishing himself as the Mexican with the most titles at the club. His departure came after the Apertura 2025 final, lost to Toluca.
Tigres issued a statement: “In Tigres, we deeply thank Javier Aquino for his contributions on and off the field, for his dedication in every training session, his commitment to the group, and for representing the Club with pride, and we are certain that all that professionalism is and will continue to be an example for the new generations of the team to see themselves reflected in him.” This marks the end of a golden era for the team.
