Mexican winger Mateo Chávez scored the decisive goal on his debut for AZ Alkmaar, sealing a 2–1 victory over Belgium’s KAA Gent in a pre-season friendly on 16 July. The 21-year-old, who joined the Dutch club this summer after leaving Liga MX side Chivas, entered as a substitute and struck from outside the area late in the match at Gent’s Ghelamco Arena. Chávez’s goal marked his first appearance in European club football after featuring for Mexico at the 2025 Gold Cup. The fixture forms part of AZ Alkmaar’s preparations for the 2025-26 Eredivisie campaign under manager Maarten Martens.