Eduardo Águila began his career with Queseros de San José in the third tier of Mexican football, making eleven appearances and scoring once. In 2019, he moved to La Piedad’s youth setup, and later that year, he joined Atlético San Luis’s academy. He was promoted to the first team in 2023 and has since made 49 appearances, becoming an undisputed starter in the squad. He also made his debut with the Mexican national team in a friendly in January 2025.
Águila is a naturally left-footed center-back, primarily deployed as the central player in a back three, though he is also capable of playing on the left of a back three or in a traditional back four. Physically, Águila stands at 1.80 meters (5’11”), which places him below average in height for a central defender. He is solidly built and shows good strength in arm-to-arm duels, particularly when engaging attackers in static confrontations or when they play with their back to goal. He uses his upper body well to bump and shield opposing players. However, he lacks agility and acceleration, which can occasionally leave him vulnerable against pacey attackers in open space. His recovery pace is decent but not rapid. Águila displays a decent vertical leap at times but is not dominant in winning duels. While not commanding in the air, he compensates with clever anticipation and positioning. His defensive style leans more toward containment rather than aggression, preferring to maintain position instead of engaging at every opportunity.
On the ball, Águila demonstrates a high level of composure and a comfortable range of passing. He’s a central figure in the first phase of build-up. Águila occasionally pushes into midfield during build-up phases, acting as a single or double pivot when needed. His best asset is his long-range passing. He has shown the capability to play vertical long balls over the top of defenses into dangerous areas for his forwards to exploit in behind. However, while his passing is clean and effective, there’s room for more progression and risk-taking. He is very confident with the ball under pressure and is able to evade oncoming attackers with subtle touches past them. That said, he can be too casual under pressure at times and still needs to develop confidence in playing more incisive, line-breaking passes. He is capable of carrying the ball forward, but his lack of agility and explosive dribbling limits his ability to consistently advance through pressure. He can occasionally take heavy touches, which lead to turnovers and exposes his team to counters.
Defensively, Águila thrives on anticipation and spatial awareness. He constantly scans for nearby attackers and communicates actively with the backline, ensuring everyone is aware of oncoming threats. His reading of the game is one of his standout traits, as he consistently positions himself to intercept balls played in behind. He prefers to backpedal when anticipating incoming crosses, keeping both the ball and his opponent in view. This technique, while unorthodox, allows him to maintain visual contact with his marker. However, it can be a double-edged sword, while it helps him stay calm, it occasionally results in attackers getting the wrong side of him, particularly on crosses or quick transitions, where he’s slightly slow to turn and match pace. He is not a dominant aerial presence due to his height, which means he would benefit from playing alongside a more physically imposing partner.
In January 2025, there were rumors of a loan move to Portuguese side Famalicão. Though the deal never materialized, the interest highlighted Águila’s growing potential. To take the next step, he will need to improve his agility and reaction speed, as these physical tools would help him defend more effectively. He can also improve on being more progressive and secure in possession. With continued development, Águila could become one of the top center-backs in Liga MX. His skill set would particularly suit a possession-based side in a league like the Eredivisie or Belgian Pro League, where his tactical awareness and passing range could flourish.
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