The club has morphed into a well-oiled fútbol factory that is a part of a larger facility that supplies housing, player-specific meals, a university and much more to many of the country’s best emerging names.
“It’s kind of like a college over here. They have dorms, they have school, they give you food. They give you everything,” Isais said, who joined the setup in 2018.
Still, Isais had plenty to work through and prove before becoming a first-team player. Stints at Pachuca’s third-division squad, U17s and U20s, along with a loan at Leon, were hurdles that he leapt past in his path to Pachuca’s senior team in 2022.
When watching the defender, his underlying talents as a former winger are pronounced. There’s a confidence when he progresses with the ball, often looking for intelligent passes going forward, crosses and occasional dribbles past opponents. Defensively, his 6-foot frame gives him a solid foundation for holding off players and winning aerial duels.
There’s room for improvement to take him to the next level, though.
“A bit more [work on] my positioning, I think I can make it better. That would make me a better player,” Isais said.
Vromant agreed but was optimistic with the advances he has been making.
“For him, it’s about acquiring those [defensive] skills that he might have lacked with training for a few years, but I think he’s improving and he will continue to do so. … He has the confidence of not only the coach but also of the whole structure. At Pachuca, he’s at the right club to continue to develop.
“People I know here, in Europe, are following him.”
Although he was careful to respond, often taking his time to consider his measured answers, there was a sense of enthusiasm from Isais when he began to discuss his future club career.
“That’s part of my dream. That’s where I’m going to see the best level of me, if I go,” he said about playing in Europe. “That’s why I started. I want to be playing with the big ones. We know it’s all a process [though], and I gotta respect it.”
A call-up with Mexico or the U.S.?
Amid the growing evidence and hype that Isais could be a Europe-bound player, it’s easy to forget that process he has been on. Despite making his Liga MX debut with Leon in 2020, it wasn’t until April of last year that he secured his first minutes with Pachuca’s senior team. Since then, he has been a productive and dynamic part of their starting XI, but for just a little over half a year.
However, there’s something undeniably special about the fullback that garnered the attention of Mexico before the 2022 World Cup. As part of that aforementioned “sparring” squad in Qatar, Isais gained valuable experience training with senior players.
“That was so nice, training with the first team and seeing how they train. You know, have them give you little assignments that you should do to get better,” Isais said. Looking back at the experience, he also pointed out the effort that veteran defender Hector Moreno made to give him praise and guidance, noting that “[he] was one that gave me a lot of advice.”
Does this mean a commitment to Mexico’s national team, or would he be open to USMNT call-up?
“I’m not committed to anyone right now. I’m just focused on my club right now, doing things right. Whatever comes, I’ll see what happens,” he said, adding that U.S. Soccer “haven’t talked to me or anything.”
Nonetheless, that first appearance for either nation could soon emerge in a new World Cup cycle. With CONCACAF Nations League matches, the Gold Cup and friendlies on the horizon, 2023 could be the moment in which Isais adds to his already auspicious and bright start to his career.
No matter what happens, though, Vromant believes Isais’ intriguing evolution will continue.
“I think one of his strengths is adaptability to new circumstances and his resilience. … That’s why Mauricio continues to improve because he’s intelligent and he’s trainable,” Vromant said. “That’s something that any coach in the world likes to have in a squad.”
