The Most Famous

SOCCER PLAYERS from Mexico

This page contains a list of the greatest Mexican Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 145 of which were born in Mexico. This makes Mexico the birth place of the 24th most number of Soccer Players behind Switzerland, and Nigeria.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Mexican Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Mexican Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Mexican Soccer Players.

1. Antonio Carbajal (1929 - 2023)

With an HPI of 59.15, Antonio Carbajal is the most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 26 different languages on wikipedia.

Antonio Félix "Tota" Carbajal Rodríguez (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈtonjo kaɾβaˈxal]; 7 June 1929 – 9 May 2023) was a Mexican professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He was also called "El Cinco Copas", in reference to his record of having played five World Cups.

2. Jorge Campos (b. 1966)

With an HPI of 56.91, Jorge Campos is the 2nd most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 34 different languages.

Jorge Campos Navarrete (born 15 October 1966) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. A notable player of Mexico in the 1990s and early 2000s, Campos was an eccentric player, known for his constant play outside the penalty area – often functioning as a sweeper-keeper, as well as his acrobatic, risky, and flamboyant style of goalkeeping, and his colourful playing attire. His main strengths as a goalkeeper were his leaping ability, athleticism, and speed when rushing off his line, as well as his ability to organize his defense, which enabled him to overcome his short stature. He was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation. Campos also made for an effective striker, an example of versatility that is rarely seen in football. At times, he would start a game in goal, and transfer upfield later in the match, mostly at the club level. In total, he scored 35 goals throughout his career, scoring all but one while playing for UNAM. His trademark, self-designed bright kits contributed to his popularity.

3. Francisco Jara (1941 - 2024)

With an HPI of 54.49, Francisco Jara is the 3rd most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Francisco Jara Garibay (3 February 1941 – 2 February 2024) was a Mexican footballer who played as a forward for Mexico at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Guadalajara. Jara died on 2 February 2024.

4. Rafael Márquez (b. 1979)

With an HPI of 54.26, Rafael Márquez is the 4th most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 61 different languages.

Rafael Márquez Álvarez (Spanish: [rafaˈel ˈmaɾkes] ; born 13 February 1979) is a Mexican football coach and former player who played as a defender. He is currently the assistant coach of the Mexico national team. Nicknamed El Káiser, he is regarded as the best defender in Mexico's history and one of the best Mexican players of all time. Márquez began his career with Atlas in 1996, playing in over 70 games with the club before moving to France in 1999 with Monaco, where he won a Ligue 1 title. In 2003, Márquez joined Barcelona, becoming the first ever Mexican to represent the club. He would go on to play in over 240 games during seven seasons with the Blaugrana and win numerous honors, including four La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. In 2006, he became the first Mexican player to win the Champions League when Barcelona defeated Arsenal in the final. In 2010, Márquez joined Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls. After being released from the club in 2012, he returned to his native Mexico, this time to play for León, captaining the team to back-to-back Liga MX titles in 2013 and 2014. Márquez then transferred to Hellas Verona of the Italian Serie A. He returned to his boyhood club Atlas in 2015, and announced his retirement from football in April 2018. Márquez is the fourth most-capped player in the history of the Mexico national football team, earning 147 caps throughout his career. In 2018, he became only the fourth player to play for his national team in five consecutive editions of the FIFA World Cup, alongside compatriot Antonio Carbajal, Lothar Matthäus, and Gianluigi Buffon, appearing in the 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 tournaments. He is also the Mexican player with the most World Cup matches played with 19. With the national team, Márquez won the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, and the 2003 and 2011 editions of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Márquez began his career with Atlas, making his debut in October 1996 at only 17 years of age. Márquez rose to prominence while with Atlas, making 77 appearances for the team and being runner-up in the league, losing the final against Toluca on penalties during the Verano 1999 tournament. After playing the 1999 Copa América with Mexico, Márquez joined French club Monaco for a reported US$6 million. He made his debut on 14 August against Bastia. In his first season, Monaco won the Ligue 1 (then known as the French Division 1) title, with Márquez being named in the league's Team of the Season. He went on to play in 109 matches with Monaco over four seasons, winning the Coupe de la Ligue as well. In the summer of 2003, Márquez signed for Spanish club Barcelona. He made his debut in La Liga on 3 September 2003 against Sevilla, the match ending in a 1–1 draw. On 9 November, he scored his first goal for Barcelona in their 2–1 victory over Real Betis. In his first season with Barcelona, Márquez made 22 league appearances (31 across all competitions) as the team finished second in the league, five points behind Valencia. During his second season, he was moved from his natural position as a centre-back to a defensive midfield role, due to injuries to players Thiago Motta, Edmílson and Gerard. That year, Barcelona won its 17th league title on 14 May 2005 after a 1–1 tie with Levante. A month after an injury to his left knee, Márquez returned to play against A.C. Milan in the first leg of the 2006 UEFA Champions League semi-final. Barcelona, playing away at the San Siro, won 1–0. On 17 May, Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League after defeating Arsenal 2–1 in the final, with Márquez playing the entire match. He became the first Mexican to play in a Champions League final and the first to win it. Following his participation with Mexico at the 2006 World Cup, Márquez signed a four-year contract extension with Barcelona, with the buy-out clause set at €100 million. During the 2007–08 season, Márquez formed a partnership with new signing Gabriel Milito while captain Carles Puyol was out injured. Constant injuries, however, threw off his form. Márquez's success declined with the rest of the season, leading Barcelona to end up in third place in La Liga after a miserable second half where injuries lead to his contribution being negligible. Even so, new coach Pep Guardiola continued to rely on his contributions; with the departure of Ronaldinho, Márquez had become the last original signing of the Frank Rijkaard era to remain on the team. In October 2007, Márquez was included in the list of players nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year award, the only player from the CONCACAF to be nominated. Márquez was Guardiola's first-choice at centre-back along with captain Puyol for the 2008–09 season. On 13 December 2008, Márquez played his 200th match for Barcelona in their 2–0 win against Real Madrid. On 28 April 2009, during Barcelona's 2008–09 Champions League semi-final match against Chelsea, Márquez sustained a knee injury which required surgery, meaning he would miss the remainder of the season. Barcelona would go on to complete a historic treble after winning the Champions League final 2–0 against Manchester United. Prior to the 2009–10 season, Márquez received an offer from Italian Serie A club Fiorentina. Márquez, however, said he wanted to end his career at Barcelona. Márquez eventually signed a new contract with Barça in November 2009 that would keep him at the club until 2012. On 20 February 2010, he scored his first goal since his return against Racing Santander. On 31 July 2010, Márquez was released from his contract by Barcelona. During his time with the club, he played in 242 matches and scored 13 goals, making him the most-capped non-European player in the club's history and the eighth-most capped foreigner. In his 12-year European career, Márquez appeared in 46 UEFA Champions League matches, which was the most by a Mexican or CONCACAF player, until compatriot Javier Hernández surpassed that record in 2017. At the time, Márquez was also one of two players from CONCACAF to play in a Champions League final, the other being Trinidad and Tobago's Dwight Yorke for Manchester United in 1999. After seven years with and being released by Barcelona and participating at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it was reported that Italian club Juventus were interested in signing Márquez as a back-up for defender Leonardo Bonucci. On 1 August 2010, it was announced that Márquez had signed with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer on a three-and-a-half-year contract. He was the club's third Designated Player and was unveiled to the media at Red Bull Arena on 3 August wearing the number 4 jersey and reuniting with former Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry. On 8 August, Márquez made his MLS debut against the Chicago Fire in a scoreless draw. On 21 August, Márquez scored his first goal, an astonishing shot with his right foot, for the Red Bulls in a 4–1 win at Toronto FC. On 21 October, Márquez started for the Red Bulls in a 2–0 victory over New England Revolution which clinched the regular season Eastern Conference title. New York released Márquez on 13 December 2012. His stint in New York was heavily criticized by many fans and journalists for his constant injuries, suspensions and perceived lack of commitment to the fans and club. Márquez later revealed in an interview with ESPN Deportes that going to play in the United States was "a bad decision" and called it the worst decision he ever made in his career. He said that he had misjudged the arc of his career, believing it was declining faster than it was, and that he regretted declining offers from various European clubs, including one from Italian side Juventus. Hours after being released by the New York Red Bulls, it was announced that Márquez signed with Liga MX side León, returning to his home country after 13 years abroad. It would not be until 5 October 2013 that Márquez scored his first goal for León in the Liga MX against Puebla, scoring a penalty kick in the 17th minute. On 15 December, León captured the Apertura 2013 title after defeating América 5–1 on aggregate. Márquez, the club captain, played in both legs as he lifted his first league title in Mexico, more than 14 years after losing the final against Toluca when he played in Atlas. The following tournament, Márquez helped León capture their second straight league title, becoming only the second team in history to win consecutive league titles in the short tournament era, the first being UNAM, who won the Clausura 2004 and Apertura 2004. He also became the first Mexican footballer to win league titles in three countries. On 7 August 2014, Hellas Verona of Serie A signed Márquez on undisclosed terms. He stated that he had taken a pay cut to join the club as he was desperate to return to Europe. Márquez made his league debut on 31 August, starting as Verona played out a goalless draw at home against Atalanta. On 21 December 2015, it was announced that Márquez had officially transferred to Atlas, returning to the club he debuted with. He was handed the number 4 shirt. On 19 April 2018, Márquez announced that he would retire at the end of the season. He did, however, state his intention of representing Mexico at the World Cup. Márquez played his final match at the Estadio Jalisco on 20 April, a 1–0 victory in the Clásico Tapatío against Guadalajara. The following week, Márquez played his final club match against Pachuca at the Estadio Hidalgo, which ended in a 0–0 draw. Márquez made his debut with Mexico on 5 February 1997 in a friendly match against Ecuador. It was reported that his call-up was due to an error made by national team coach Bora Milutinović, who wanted to call up fellow Atlas player César Márquez. Márquez became a regular call-up for Mexico, although he was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad. Márquez played various tournaments with the national team, winning the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and losing to Canada at the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Márquez started all four of Mexico's games during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where he was given the captain's armband by then coach Javier Aguirre despite his young age of 23. He received a red card during Mexico's second round 2–0 loss to the United States for a deliberate mid-air head butt on Cobi Jones in the final minutes of the match. Márquez was selected by Ricardo La Volpe for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Márquez played in all of three of Mexico's opening round matches, and scored the lone Mexican goal in a 2–1 loss to Argentina in the second round off a Pável Pardo free kick which was headed to the far post by Mario Méndez, allowing an unmarked Márquez to strike the ball into the back of the net. The winner was scored by Maxi Rodríguez in extra time after Hernán Crespo had equalised for Argentina. New Mexico coach Hugo Sánchez called-up Márquez to participate in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2007 Copa América. Márquez joined up with the team Mexico for the Gold Cup's championship game against the United States after the conclusion of 2006–07 La Liga; he started the match, which Mexico lost 2–1. Márquez captained Mexico at the 2010 World Cup, scoring Mexico's goal in the tournament's opening match against South Africa which ended in a 1–1 draw. In Mexico's 2–0 win against France, Márquez assisted Javier Hernández in Mexico's first goal. On 29 March 2011, Márquez became the eighth player in history to reach 100 caps for Mexico in a friendly match against Venezuela, where Mexico drew 1–1. During Mexico's opening match at the 2014 World Cup – a 1–0 win over Cameroon – Márquez became the first player to captain a team in four World Cups. On 23 June, he scored the opening goal in the 3–1 win against Croatia, thus advancing to the knockout stage. This goal made Márquez the first Mexican player to score in three consecutive World Cups, and the second Mexican player ever to score in three World Cups after Cuauhtémoc Blanco. In May 2015, it was announced Márquez was included in the 23-man squad that would participate in the Copa América tournament in Chile. He was selected to start as captain in Mexico's opening fixture of the tournament, a 0–0 draw with Bolivia in Viña del Mar. The following year, Márquez captained Mexico at the Copa América Centenario, scoring in their opening game a 3–1 victory over Uruguay. On 11 November 2016, in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, Márquez scored the winning goal for Mexico in the 89th minute to seal a 2–1 victory over the United States. Appearing in Mexico's second group-stage match against New Zealand at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, Márquez – at 38 years and four months – became the second-oldest player to appear in a match in Confederations Cup history. He was also making his first appearance at the tournament since 2005, setting new record for most years between consecutive matches with twelve. On 4 June 2018, Marquez was named in Mexico's final 23-man squad for the World Cup. This meant he would travel to his fifth World Cup finals, becoming only the fourth player in history to do so, alongside German Lothar Matthäus, Italian Gianluigi Buffon and fellow Mexican Antonio Carbajal. He was substituted in for Andrés Guardado at the 74th minute in Mexico's 1–0 win over defending-champions Germany, and became the third man in history to play at a fifth World Cup. On 2 July, in Mexico's round of 16 match against Brazil, Márquez became the first player ever to play as a captain in five World Cups and was substituted off at half-time, marking his last appearance as a professional. Following his retirement, he was introduced as Atlas' new sporting president, succeeding Fabricio Bassa. He held the position until May 2019. In October 2021, Márquez joined the TUDN network as an analyst and commentator for national team games. On 8 April 2020, Márquez was appointed as a youth coach at Alcalá, taking care of the Cadete A (under 15) squad for the 2020–21 season. On 14 July 2022, Márquez was appointed head coach of Barcelona Atlètic, signing a two-year contract. In his first season in charge, he led Barça Atlètic to a fourth place finish, qualifying for the promotional playoffs before being eliminated by Real Madrid Castilla 5–4 on aggregate. On 14 June 2023, it was announced that Márquez would continue with the team, signing an extension. On 21 July 2024, Barcelona Atlètic announced Rafael's departure of the club. On 22 July 2024, the Mexican Football Federation announced Márquez to be the assistant coach of the Mexico national football team. Capable of playing as a centre-back, sweeper, or defensive midfielder, Márquez is widely considered to be one of Mexico's greatest-ever players. He has been described as elegant on the ball and in his tackling, possessing excellent technical ability and vision, tactical awareness, dependable in the air for both defending and attacking, and being skillful coming out of defense. Affectionately nicknamed the "Kaiser of Michoacan", he also stood out for his leadership ability. In 2024, La Liga included Márquez in its Barcelona best eleven of the 21st century. Márquez's father, Rafael Márquez Esqueda, was also a professional football player in Mexico. Rafael married Mexican actress Adriana Lavat in December 2001 and had two children, Santiago Rafael and Rafaela, before separating in 2007 and divorcing. He is now married to Jaydy Michel, ex-wife of singer Alejandro Sanz. His younger cousin, Luis Alberto Márquez, is also a professional footballer. Luis developed in Atlas' rival club, Guadalajara and also played for Zacatepec. He appeared on the North American cover of FIFA 12 alongside Wayne Rooney and Landon Donovan. In October 2017, Márquez helped found Asociación Mexicana de Futbolistas (Mexican Footballers Association). On 9 August 2017, it was reported that Márquez was among 22 people sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (also known as the "Kingpin Act") by the United States Treasury Department for alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization allegedly headed by Raúl Flores Hernández, a suspected drug trafficker with links to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. He was placed on a Specially Designated Nationals List by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Nine businesses, including a soccer school and charitable foundation, were linked to Márquez by the OFAC. All 22 people were accused of providing support to, or being under the control of Flores Hernández. According to the OFAC, Márquez conducted money laundering by acting as a strawperson for Flores Hernández and his criminal organization. They alleged that Márquez used businessmen Mauricio Heredia Horner and Marco Antonio Fregoso González to act for or on his behalf. Márquez's assets "that are under U.S. jurisdiction or are in the control of U.S. persons" would be frozen. The Mexican Attorney General's Office said in a statement that Márquez came voluntarily to their offices to provide a statement that same day. Since 22 September 2021 he has been removed from the list and is now clear of his name from the U.S. Treasury Department. Appearances and goals by national team and year Sources: International goals Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first. As of match played 23 June 2024 Monaco French Division 1: 1999–2000 Coupe de la Ligue: 2002–03 Barcelona La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10 Copa del Rey: 2008–09 Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006, 2009 UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09 UEFA Super Cup: 2009 FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 León Liga MX: Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014 Mexico FIFA Confederations Cup: 1999 CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2003, 2011 CONCACAF Cup: 2015 Individual CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2000 French Division 1 Best Defender: 2001 CONCACAF Best Player: 2005 IFFHS Third Most Popular Player in the World: 2006 Free Kick Masters: 2008 Tecate Premios Deportes Best Center-back: 2009 Tecate Premios Deportes Best XI: 2009 CONCACAF Best XI: 2016 IFFHS CONCACAF Men's Team of All Time: 2021 List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps Official website (in Spanish) Rafael Márquez Álvarez at Liga MX (archive) (in Spanish) Rafael Márquez – Liga MX stats at MedioTiempo.com (archived) (in Spanish) Rafael Márquez at ESPN FC Rafael Márquez at Soccerway Rafael Márquez at National-Football-Teams.com

5. Guillermo Ochoa (b. 1985)

With an HPI of 52.46, Guillermo Ochoa is the 5th most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 56 different languages.

Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡiˈʝeɾmo oˈtʃo.a]; born 13 July 1985), commonly known as "Memo Ochoa", is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Mexico national team. Ochoa is the most capped goalkeeper in the history of the national side, and currently third on the all-time list with 150 appearances. Ochoa made his senior level professional debut for Club América in 2004, winning the league title the following year and was the club's first-choice goalkeeper up until 2011, making over 200 appearances for América. That summer Ochoa was transferred to Ajaccio in France. He spent three seasons with the club until their relegation from Ligue 1. In 2014, Ochoa joined Málaga but failed to establish himself in the team. In July 2016, he joined Granada on a season-long loan. In July 2017, he joined Standard Liège, winning the 2017–18 Belgian Cup. He returned to Club América in August 2019. Three years later, he returned to Europe, this time with Italian club Salernitana. A Mexican international since 2005, Ochoa received his first cap at age 20 in a friendly match against Hungary. Having been included in the squads for five FIFA World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022), Ochoa has gained international recognition for his consistency and big game performances in the competition over multiple iterations. He has also appeared at two FIFA Confederations Cups (2013 and 2017), two Olympic tournaments (2004 and 2020), two Copas América (2007 and 2016), five CONCACAF Gold Cups (2007, 2009, 2015, 2019 and 2023), and was originally in the 2011 Gold Cup squad before being suspended from the competition due to false doping allegations. With five Gold Cup titles, he is the most successful player in the history of the competition.

6. Javier Hernández (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 52.23, Javier Hernández is the 6th most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 67 different languages.

Javier Hernández Balcázar (Spanish: [xaˈβjeɾ eɾˈnandes βalˈkasaɾ] ; born 1 June 1988), commonly known by the nickname Chicharito ([tʃitʃaˈɾito], Mexican Spanish: little pea), is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a striker for Liga MX club Guadalajara. He is known for his clinical finishing along with his pace and technical ability and is widely considered to be amongst the greatest Mexican players of all time. Hernández began his senior club career at age 18 in 2006, playing for Guadalajara, where he won the Primera División. In 2010, Hernández signed for Manchester United, becoming the club's first Mexican player. During his five years with United, he amassed over 150 appearances and scored 59 goals, winning two Premier League titles, the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year in first season and reached the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final, as well as setting the then record for the fifth-best minutes-per-goal ratio (130.2) in league history. Hernández departed the club on loan to Real Madrid in 2014, winning the FIFA Club World Cup, and in 2015 he joined Bayer Leverkusen on a permanent deal. Two years later, Hernández returned to England and signed for West Ham United. In 2019, he signed for Sevilla before joining LA Galaxy the following year. In 2024, Hernández rejoined his boyhood club Guadalajara. A Mexican international, Hernández is the country's all-time leading goalscorer. He made his debut for the national team in September 2009 in a friendly match against Colombia. He has represented Mexico at the 2010, 2014, and 2018 FIFA World Cups, the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2013 and 2017 FIFA Confederations Cups, and the Copa América Centenario. He was the 2011 Gold Cup's top scorer with seven goals and was named the most valuable player of the tournament.

7. Tomás Balcázar (1931 - 2020)

With an HPI of 50.99, Tomás Balcázar is the 7th most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Tomás Balcázar González (4 May 1931 – 26 April 2020) was a Mexican professional footballer who played as a forward. He played at club level for Guadalajara, and internationally for Mexico. Tomás was a legend in Mexico for being in the "campeonísimo", which refers to the historic Guadalajara team that won 8 championships in 10 years. In the 1954 FIFA World Cup, Balcazar scored for Mexico against France. When he scored that goal Tomás was 22 years old, the same age his grandson Javier Hernández was during the 2010 FIFA World Cup when he scored against the French on 17 June 2010. Balcázar was the grandfather of Javier Hernández Balcázar (Chicharito), a Mexican footballer who currently plays for Guadalajara and is the all-time top scorer for Mexico. Balcázar was the father-in-law of Javier Hernández Gutiérrez, who played for Tecos and was a member of the Mexico squad at the 1986 FIFA World Cup. On 5 June he married Berta Calloino in Mexico City. Tomás Balcázar – FIFA competition record (archived) Tomás Balcázar at National-Football-Teams.com

8. Luis Hernández (b. 1968)

With an HPI of 50.71, Luis Hernández is the 8th most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 28 different languages.

Luis Arturo Hernández Carreón (born 22 December 1968), commonly known as El Matador, is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a striker and is the fourth all-time leading scorer of the Mexico national team with 35 goals, and the joint-highest goalscorer in World Cups. He is widely regarded as one of Mexico's most talented strikers.

9. Cuauhtémoc Blanco (b. 1973)

With an HPI of 49.41, Cuauhtémoc Blanco is the 9th most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 47 different languages.

Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo (Spanish pronunciation: [kwawˈtemok ˈblaŋko]; born 17 January 1973) is a Mexican politician and former professional footballer who is the current Governor of Morelos under the coalition Juntos Haremos Historia. He formerly served as the municipal president of Cuernavaca, Morelos. As a footballer, Blanco was known for his attacking ability and played most of his career as a deep-lying forward and his last years as an attacking midfielder. Blanco is considered to be one of the greatest Mexican footballers of all time. Blanco was born in Mexico City, in the district of Tlatilco, but grew up in Tepito. Born to Faustino Blanco and Hortensia Bravo, he was named after the last Aztec emperor Cuauhtémoc, in which the name means "one who has descended like an eagle". Blanco started his career with América in 1992, where he won various awards, both team-based and individual, and had various loan stints with Necaxa, Spanish club Real Valladolid, and Veracruz. In 2007, he joined the Chicago Fire, with a loan stint with Santos Laguna for the 2008 Apertura championship. In 2010, he returned to Mexico to trek throughout various teams, joining Veracruz again, Irapuato, Dorados, and Puebla-based teams Lobos BUAP and Puebla, where he retired with the latter in 2015. The following year, he came out of retirement to officially end his career with América. Having played most of his career in América, with 333 appearances and 135 goals, Blanco has become an idol to the club's supporters and an important figure in the history of the team. Blanco made his debut in the Mexican Primera División in 1992 at the age of 19 with América. He won his first Golden Boot with 16 goals in the Winter 1998 season for Las Águilas. He was loaned for Winter 1997 and Summer 1998 at Necaxa, in which he scored 13 goals in 28 appearances. Blanco was later loaned to Real Valladolid of La Liga for the 2000–01 season. However, he suffered a broken leg while on international duty which kept out of the side for six months. Blanco returned to Valladolid for another loan spell the following season, but he struggled with homesickness and regaining his form. He had a knack for scoring great goals in La Liga, with most notable, a free-kick against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. He returned to Mexico and spent the 2004 Apertura season with Veracruz, where they ended up winning their group, but were defeated in the playoffs by UNAM. Blanco was a popular player during his time there. In May 2005, Blanco won his first club championship as a player, leading Club América to its tenth league title, when Club América defeated U.A.G. by an aggregate score of 7–4 (1–1, 6–3). In the next three consecutive years between 2005 and 2007, he was awarded the MVP. He scored his final goal during the championship final against Pachuca in 2007. On 2 April 2007, Blanco ventured on to Major League Soccer in the United States and signed with Chicago Fire. He was welcomed by 5,000 fans at Toyota Park as he conducted interviews with the media, signed autographs and greeted with fans. He was later voted as a finalist for both the MVP and Newcomer of the Year awards in 2007. Blanco was the 2007 Goal of the Year winner, for his goal against Real Salt Lake. Blanco was the second-highest paid player in Major League Soccer, after LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, earning $2.7 million a year. Once again, he was a finalist for the MVP of the year award. On 24 July 2008, in the All-Stars Game against West Ham United, Blanco won the MVP award with one assist and one goal, a game in which he only played 46 minutes. The MLS All-stars won 3–2. On 19 November 2008, it was announced that Santos Laguna signed Blanco on a loan to play only for the Apertura 2008 championship, after the injury of their Ecuadorian striker Christian Benítez. Blanco was formally presented to the press the next day, wearing the number 9 jersey, and stated that he looked forward to giving Santos a back-to-back championship. On 29 November 2008, Blanco scored his first goal with Santos, a penalty in the second leg of the championship quarter-finals against San Luis. In October 2009, Blanco announced he would not be renewing his contract with Chicago Fire and would instead sign with Veracruz of the Ascenso MX beginning in January 2010. However, after 6 months with Veracruz he left for Irapuato. Led by Blanco, Irapuato won the 2011 Clausura, but the team failed to advance to the Primera División, losing to Tijuana in the promotional final. In December 2011, Blanco joined Dorados de Sinaloa of Liga de Ascenso. During Apertura 2012, Blanco won the Copa MX with Dorados. Despite Blanco announcing he would retire after the end of 2012, he changed his mind and played for another six months with Dorados. However, after the tournament ended, he did not renew his contract and was released from the team in June 2013. Blanco signed for Lobos BUAP for the Apertura 2013 Liga de Ascenso season. After one year with the club, he did not renew his contract with BUAP and was released from the club at the end of the season, in which the club failed to qualify for the play-offs. After considering retirement, Blanco signed with Puebla for one last season in the Liga MX. On 21 April 2015, he played in the Clausura's Copa MX final against Guadalajara, coming off the bench. Puebla went on to win the cup, and sent Blanco off as a champion in what was supposed to be the final game of his career. On 22 February 2016, a month into his political career, it was announced that Blanco would participate in an official Liga MX match during the Week 9 of Clausura 2016 for the club that started his career, Club América. It would allow him to officially end his career, while playing for the club. On 5 March, Blanco started the match wearing a number 100 jersey, and played 36 minutes for América at the Estadio Azteca in a match against Morelia, before being replaced by Darwin Quintero. During the match, Blanco demonstrated his signature move, the Cuauhtemiña, and had two shots on goal, one of which hit the crossbar from the outside of the penalty box. The match was eventually won by América 4–1. Blanco represented Mexico from 1995 to 2010 (with a special appearance in 2014). He was capped 120 times and scored 38 goals. Blanco is the only Mexican to have won Confederations Cup awards, being awarded the Silver Ball and Silver Boot at the 1999 Confederations Cup after a first-place finish on home soil, until Oswaldo Sánchez's Golden Glove award in 2005. In 2010, he became the first Mexican to score at three World Cup tournaments, a feat later equalled by Rafael Márquez and Javier Hernández, appearing in the 1998, 2002, and 2010 editions of the tournament. Blanco made his debut with the senior national team under Bora Milutinovic in a friendly match against Uruguay on 1 February 1995. Blanco has played for Mexico at three World Cups; he was part of the squad at France 1998, Korea-Japan 2002 and South Africa 2010. He was also a member of the team that won the Confederations Cup in 1999 where he was the tournament's leading scorer with six goals, including the winning goal at the Estadio Azteca against Brazil in the final. He was awarded the "Silver Shoe" and "Silver Ball" for outstanding player of the tournament. Blanco holds the record along with Brazilian Ronaldinho as the highest scoring players in the Confederations Cup with nine goals, three in 1997 and six in 1999. In the selection for the final 23-man squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, then national team coach Ricardo La Volpe left Blanco out of the team. While the ostensible reason given was that Blanco was frequently injured and not in good form, some people considered this to be a consequence of the previous year's constant bickering, due to on-going personal problems between coach and player. Blanco became part of the squad that played the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, scoring one penalty goal, and the 2007 Copa América, where he scored 2 goals also from penalty kicks. On 13 September 2008, he earned his 100th cap for his country in its 2–1 World Cup qualifier victory over Canada at Tuxtla Gutiérrez, coming on with only 15 seconds left in regulation time. After the match, he announced his retirement from international football. With the return of Javier Aguirre as coach, Blanco returned to the national team in May 2009. He played in all the games throughout the Hexagonal of the World Cup Qualifying. Since then, Blanco has become an important factor in Mexico's team regaining form and confidence. On 10 October 2009, Blanco provoked the first opposition own goal and scored the second goal in a 4–1 victory over El Salvador to help Mexico clinch a spot in the 2010 World Cup. On 17 June 2010, he scored a penalty in the 78th minute of the 2–0 win against France at the World Cup's second round of group stage matches in South Africa. With this goal he became the first Mexican to score a goal in three World Cup tournaments and the third-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history. Blanco played a tribute game in 2014 against Israel at the Estadio Azteca, which symbolized his official retirement from international football. Mexico went on to win the match 3–0. Blanco is considered to be one of the greatest Mexican footballers of all time, as well as one of the best penalty takers of all time, having scored 71 out of 73 penalties in his career, giving him a 97.26% success rate from the spot. His brash, aggressive, and confrontative playing style is reflected both on and off the field, pulling ingenious plays and being combative against the press, players, and coaches alike. Blanco is also remembered for the Cuauhtemiña, or Blanco Trick, which he performed notably at the 1998 World Cup. In the trick, when two or more opposition players are trying to take the ball from him, he traps the ball between his feet and jumps through the defenders – releasing the ball in the air and landing with it under control as he leaves the opposition players behind. The trick is easy to perform but is eye-catching and has been incorporated as a special skill into the FIFA series of football video games. Blanco himself has accepted on Mexican television and to the press that his goal celebration is an imitation of the "Archer" celebration created by former Atletico de Madrid striker Kiko Narvaez. In a 2005 interview with Mexican newspaper El Universal, Blanco explains that while watching a Spanish league game accompanied by his teammate Germán Villa, both players agreed to celebrate their next goal by imitating the "Archer" gesture. In the end, only Blanco did it, and jokingly reprimanded Villa for not keeping his word. However, the Chicago Fire official website claimed that Blanco celebrates scoring a goal by acting like the Prehispanic Tlatoani Aztec emperor Cuauhtémoc, "in order to show respect for the Mexican people, and their indigenous Amerindian heritage". Blanco is considered one of the most influential figures in recent Mexican footballing history. Tom Marshall of ESPN states "the battles, brawls, golazos, insults, intensity and passion with which Blanco [...] lived both on and off the pitch, he left a deep imprint on the Mexican game and a colorful story painted by the kind of character arguably lacking at present." Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first. In January 2015, Blanco registered as a Social Democratic Party candidate for the municipal presidential elections of the city of Cuernavaca, the capital of the Mexican state of Morelos, and was formally nominated two months later. In the 2015 legislative elections, he won in a closely contested election, narrowly defeating Maricela Velázquez of the incumbent Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). In a subsequent vote recount Blanco was confirmed the winner of the municipal presidential race. As municipal president, Blanco struggled with accusations about his residency in the city, allegations that he had accepted a bribe to run for office, and even murder. None of these allegations ever went anywhere. In June 2016, he left the Social Democratic Party and dismissed the secretary of the city council, Roberto Yañez Moreno, which marked the beginning of a dispute between Blanco and the party. In March 2017, he joined the Social Encounter Party (PES). For the 2018 general elections, the National Regeneration Movement proposed having Senator Rabindranath Salazar Solorio as the candidate under the coalition Juntos Haremos Historia for the Governor of Morelos but PES, also part of the coalition, argued Blanco was the better choice for the coalition's candidate. In December 2015, it was determined there would be an internal election to see who would become the candidate for the coalition. On 28 January 2018, Juntos Haremos Historia presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced Blanco would be the coalition's candidate after winning the nominee process against Senator Rabindranath Salazar Solorio. On 11 March 2018 he formally registered to become candidate for Governor of Morelos and on 2 April 2018, he was separated from his post as municipal president of Cuernavaca, succeeded by Denisse Arizmendi Villegas, in order to formally participate in the gubernatorial elections. Polls indicated he was in the lead. On 1 July 2018, he won the 2018 gubernatorial elections by a landslide, becoming the first former footballer to win a state governor election in Mexico. He began his term as Governor on 1 October 2018. His greatest challenges as governor are finding adequate funding for the state university (UAEM) and resolving the high incidence of crime in the state. Only three months into his term, he was already faced with marches denouncing his administration. On 13 February 2019 Blanco formally charged his predecessor, Graco Ramirez, with organized crime, operations with resources of illicit origin, and tax fraud. One year into his governorship, people began to doubt Blanco's administration. Politically, he disputed with Morena and PT, partners in Juntos Haremos Historia that got him elected. He promoted PES, which has been dissolved on a national level but remains strong locally. Crime rose significantly, with a 680% increase in cases of extortion, 375% increase in kidnappings, and 41% increase in murders. More than eighty women were killed in 2019, 22 of which were classified distinctly as femicide. Additionally, a tax debt of MXN$302,230 (US$15,800) from his time as a footballer was pardoned by the federal Tax Administration Service, raising questions of corruption. Roberto Soto Pastor, a former collaborator of Graco Ramirezs, sued Blanco for hiring several members of his family and friends, including: his half-brother Ulises Bravo, sister-in-law Liu León Luna, uncles Carlos Juárez López, Jaime Juárez López, and Armando Shajid Bravo López, and a close friend named Baltazar Jonathan Alegría Mejía. All receive salaries that range from MXN $45,000 to $60,000 (US$2,300 to $3,100) per month. The suit says their hiring is a violation of Código Penal de Morelos, Artículo 276 (Morelos penal code, Article 276) which prohibits nepotism. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador personally called Blanco out for nepotism in a meeting on 11 October. The governor denies allegations of nepotism. On 8 January 2020, Arias Consultores released a poll that describes the best and worst governors. Sinaloa governor Quirino Ordaz Coppel is chosen best, while Puebla governor L. Miguel Barbosa Huerta was declared the worst. Cuauhtemoc Blanco was second-to-last at No. 31. He was previously married to Marisela Santoyo from 1996 to 2003, with whom he has a son, Cuauhtémoc Jr., born the same year of their wedding. After their separation in 2000, Blanco had an affair with Liliana Lago, which produced a daughter, Bárbara, born in 2002. In 2015, Blanco married Natalia Rezende. The couple have a son named Roberto, born in 2016. He appeared on the North American front cover of the FIFA 10 video game along with Frank Lampard and Sacha Kljestan. América Mexican Primera División: Clausura 2005 Campeón de Campeones: 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1992, 2006 Dorados Copa MX: Apertura 2012 Irapuato Liga de Ascenso: Clausura 2011 Puebla Copa MX: Clausura 2015 Mexico FIFA Confederations Cup: 1999 CONCACAF Gold Cup: 1996, 1998 Individual FIFA Confederations Cup Silver Boot: 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup Silver Ball: 1999 CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 1998 Mexican Primera División Golden Ball: Invierno 1998 , 2004–05, 2006–07 Mexican Primera División Golden Boot: Invierno 1998 Mexican Primera División Best Forward: Invierno 1998, Apertura 2005 MLS Player of the Month: May 2008 MLS Best XI: 2008 MLS All-Star: 2008, 2009 MLS All-Star Game MVP: 2008 MLS Goal of the Year: 2007 Tecate Premios Deportes Male Athlete of the Year: 2008 Tecate Premios Deportes North American Footballer of the Year: 2008 Tecate Premios Deportes Footballer of the Year: 2009 Tecate Premios Deportes Best XI: 2008 Premio Nacional del Deporte: 2009 Records FIFA Confederations Cup All Time Scorer: 9 goals (shared with Ronaldinho) Most Liga MX Citalli/Golden Ball Awards: 3 (shared with Cabinho & Fabián Estay) List of footballers with 100 or more international caps Retired numbers in association football Cuauhtémoc Blanco – FIFA competition record (archived) Player stats at Federación Mexicana at the Wayback Machine (archived 13 April 2015) Cuauhtémoc Blanco – Liga MX stats at MedioTiempo.com (archived) (in Spanish) Cuauhtémoc Blanco at National-Football-Teams.com

10. Manuel Rosas (1912 - 1989)

With an HPI of 48.22, Manuel Rosas is the 10th most famous Mexican Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Manuel Rosas Sánchez (29 February 1912 – 20 February 1989), nicknamed Chaquetas, was a Mexican footballer who participated in the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup. Scoring against Argentina from what was the first ever penalty in the competition, 18-year-old Rosas became the youngest goalscorer in the FIFA World Cup at the time, and today remains the second youngest, after Pelé. In the same match Rosas scored his only other goal for the national team, thereby becoming the first Mexican to score twice in the tournament. Three days earlier, Rosas had scored the first ever own goal in the competition, during a match against Chile. His brother, Felipe Rosas, also played in the 1930 World Cup. Both were players of Atlante F.C. during the tournament.

People

Pantheon has 244 people classified as Mexican soccer players born between 1896 and 2004. Of these 244, 188 (77.05%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Mexican soccer players include Jorge Campos, Rafael Márquez, and Guillermo Ochoa. The most famous deceased Mexican soccer players include Antonio Carbajal, Francisco Jara, and Tomás Balcázar. As of April 2024, 99 new Mexican soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Francisco Jara, Jesús del Muro, and Enrique Borja.