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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | August 2005 
Mexican Leagues and Clubs
 ussoccerplayers.com
Football has been played professionally in Mexico since the early 1900s. The first Mexican club, Pachuca, is still well in existence.
Since 1996, Mexico has played two split seasons instead of a traditional long season. In any given year, there are two separate playoffs and league champions. This system is common throughout Latin America. After a few years of calling the seasons Verano (Summer) and Invierno, the have switched to the traditional Apertura (opening) and Clausura (closing) names.
The Apertura campaign begins in the middle of Mexico's scorching summer and typically ends before the official start of winter. The Clausura campaign kicks off within one week of the New Year and concludes with at least one month remaining in spring.
Mexican football is comprised of four divisions, beginning with the Mexican First Division. Relegation and promotion is a way of life in Mexico, with one club from the top league heading south and one side from the lesser league moving up.
The relegation system does not punish clubs for just one bad season. Mexican clubs are assessed on their previous five campaigns. Points are accumulated for five seasons and are divided by the number of games played. The club with the lowest percentage after the Verano campaign is sent packing. Clubs must earn their relegation ticket, which means that the most popular sides - who also tend to be the best clubs - do not really worry about relegation.
Since Mexico has hosted two World Cups, many of the stadiums in use around the league have a World Cup history. Sites such as Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, Estadio Tecnologico in Monterrey and Estadio Azteca in Mexico City are renowned for their national and international history. The legendary Estadio Azteca, for example, is the only stadium in the world to have hosted two World Cup finals.
Chivas of Guadalajara
The only Mexican side with more supporters than Chivas of Guadalajara is the national team. The famed red-and-white striped Chivas are loved throughout all of Mexico. The club has not disappointed with titles, as Chivas have captured 10 championships, tops in all of Mexico. Chivas' golden era was in the 1950s and 60s, as they won eight titles from the 1956-57 season to 1969-70 season.
Chivas are famous for using only Mexican players in their squad. Consequently, Chivas have long fed players to the national team, from longtime veteran Antonio "Toto" Carbajal to defender Claudio Suarez to current newcomer Ramon Morales.
Chivas play their home games at the 70,000-seat Estadio Jalisco.
Famous players: Antonio "Toto" Carbajal, "Snoopy" Perez, Suly Ledezma, Benjamin Galindo, Ramon Ramirez, Fernando Quirarte, Javier Aguirre
Club America
Every nation must have a wealthy side, not afraid to spend in order to win. In Mexico, that side is America. They are typically loaded with foreigners and Mexican national team players, all of whom typically come with a hefty price tag.
The strategy has not paid off much in the past decade, however. America have not won a league title since 1989. Since then, America have had to suffer, watching hated rivals Cruz Azul and Chivas walk away with league titles.
Still, much of the nation follows America with a passion, and their home, the 110,000-seat Estadio Azteca, is typically filled with yellow-clad supporters every Sunday afternoon.
Famous players: Alfredo Tena, Hector Miguel Zelada, Norberto Outes, Daniel Brailovsky, Luis Roberto Alves "Zague"
Cruz Azul
If America and Guadalajara are the two most popular Mexican clubs, then Cruz Azul come in a close third. Mexico City's other side is both a traditional power and a side continuously winning over new fans. Cruz Azul's remarkable run in the 2001 Copa Libertadores made the club's name known throughout South America.
Cruz Azul have won eight league titles and are a perennial title contender. In the 1970s, Cruz Azul dominated the landscape of Mexican football. Beginning with the 1968-69 season, Cruz Azul won seven championships in 11 years. Legendary coaches Raul Cardenas and Ignacio Trelles guided la Maquina to Mexican fame.
Cruz Azul play their home games at the 38,000-seat Estadio Azul.
Famous players: Miguel Marin, Luis Fernando Tena, Carlos Hermosillo, Francisco Palencia, Angel "Matute" Morales
Toluca
In the late 1990s, no other Mexican side was as dominant as the Diablos Rojos (Red Devils) of Toluca. The club captured three consecutive Verano titles and three out of six championships overall. Toluca won with an overwhelming offense that nobody could figure out how to stop. The Verano 2000 champions, with Enrique Meza at the helm, are considered one of the top clubs in Mexican history.
Situated just outside Mexico City, Toluca's football factory had to fight its way into the top flight. Founded by Germans, Toluca were mired in the second division for nearly 20 years before breaking into the top flight.
Toluca play their home games at the 28000-seat Estadio Nemesio Diez.
Famous players: Jose Saturnino Cardozo, Hernan Cristante, Jose Manuel Abundis
Pachuca
The birthplace of Mexican football, Pachuca is a viable Mexican football factory. On the current national team, the coach as well as several players went through Pachuca. The Tuzos (Gophers) have some of the most passionate supporters in all of Mexico, and Estadio Hidalgo provides Pachuca with an awesome home-field advantage.
For many years, though, Pachuca were hardly a football power. In fact, the club folded on two separate occasions only to have been founded once again.
As recently as 1999, Pachuca were playing in the Primera A Division (second tier). Pachuca, though, have won two league championships and lost in the finals of another since the Invierno '99 season.
Pachuca host their home matches at the 30,000-seat Estadio Hidalgo.
Famous players: Pablo Hernan Gomez, Miguel Calero, Manuel Vidrio |
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