ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - With the start of Liga MX, Mexico’s top-flight soccer league, this past weekend came the debut of Elk Grove Charter Alumnus Fidel Barajas. 

The transfer to Chivas was rumored but confirmed by both Real Salt Lake, Chivas and Barajas through social media on July 2. 

In a social media post, the Mexican club said, “When you work hard, dreams do come true. Fidel Barajas is now part of Guadalajara.” 

As for Real Salt Lake, Barajas’ now former club, they said goodbye to him in a video on social media that shows highlights of his short time there and interviews of him and his family.

In the post, Real Salt Lake said, “We’re honored to be part of your journey. We’ll always be rooting for you.” 

As for Barajas, he said goodbye to the club, saying he will never forget about the memories despite his short time in Salt Lake City. 

“Even though my time in Salt Lake was short, it helped mold me to the player I am today and I have created memories I will never forget,” Barajas said on social media. 

He went on to say that he’s thankful for his teammates and fans that pushed him no matter what the score was and that he will always be rooting for Real Salt Lake. 

As for his new challenge in his young career, the 18-year-old Mexico international said he’s excited to start with his new club. 

“I am very excited to get started with Chivas. Being from Mexico I have grown up dreaming of playing for such an incredible club and promise to work hard every day to make the fans proud,” Barajas said on social media. 

In the first glimpses of Barajas with a Chivas jersey on, he captioned the picture on social media with, “A dream come true.” 

Then the day came with the first league matchup of the season with Chivas facing Toluca on July 6 at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. 

With 80 minutes on the clock, Barajas made his debut with Chivas as a substitution for the USA international Cade Cowell.

As Barajas’ father explained previously, Barajas grew up a Chivas fan, and with his debut he was able to fulfill that boyhood dream of playing for the team he grew up supporting.  

With a few touches on the ball and trying to provide an offensive spark for Chivas, as they were tied 0-0 when Barajas came onto the pitch, he wasn’t able to show his full potential, just flashes of his talent. 

Barajas was on the left wing connecting on short passes with his teammates and was even able to make a run down the wing, as well as take a shot on goal but was denied by Toluca’s goalkeeper.

With another substitution coming late in the game for Chivas, Barajas was able to switch to the right wing where he 1v1 against a defender and was able to send a cross into the box. 

Despite the efforts, Barajas couldn’t spark anything for Chivas, and his debut was a 0-0 draw to Toluca in front of the Chivas faithful at home. 

With coaching by the experienced Fernando Gago, the Argentine international who played for some of the biggest clubs in the world like Real Madrid and played in the 2014 World Cup for his country, Chivas can tap into the potential Barajas has. 

Barajas will have the chance to compete for more minutes with Chivas on Friday when they travel to take on the Xolos of Tijuana, bordering California. 

Barajas will play Liga MX, as well as the League’s Cup, which is a tournament that pins Liga MX teams against MLS teams, when he returns to California with Chivas to play against the San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Galaxy on July 27 and Aug. 4.