Mexican Football Basics

[El Kapitan]

Well this thread is the product of an observation, have you noticed that we have visitors from other forums but many don't participate in our discussions?, I think that's because many are not familiarized with the mexican football system, history, rivalries and many other things that us regular participants take as granted.

Therefore as a little service to the community that visit us we can build a thread with the information to satisfy the curiosity of our visitors, I hope other regulars to this forum could help by posting information that they consider relevant about Mexican football, and visitors feel free to ask any question related to Mexican football and I'm sure that sooner or later there would be an answer.

This way we can give a little push to promote mexican football in other countries, and maybe just maybe one of these days we can find a Greek fan of Chivas, a Nigerian fan of Pumas or a Chinese fan of the America.

[El Kapitan]

Mexican Football System.

First steps.

The Mexican Football system have it's origins in the early 20th century, that early period is known as the amateur era back then football was disputed within geographical regions. The winners of a local league consisting of teams near and around Mexico City named as Primera Fuerza, were considered national champions. There were other regional leagues such as the Liga Veracruzana (Est Coast), Liga Occidental (West Coast) and Liga del Bajío (North-Central) that also had notable clubs. Many club owners were not keen on the idea of establishing a professional league, despite paying players under the table. With the increasing demand of football, there was a sense of urgency to unite all the local amateur leagues in Mexico to progress as a footballing nation. The national league was finally established in 1943.

La Liga Mayor, birth of the professional era.

When the F.M.F. announced the formation of the nation's first professional league, many clubs petitioned to join the newly formed league. The F.M.F. announced that ten clubs would form the Liga Mayor. The first members of the league were founded by six clubs of the Primera Fuerza of Mexico City, two clubs from the Liga Occidental (Western League) and two members from the Liga Veracruzana (Veracruz League).

Founding members

Primera Fuerza: América, Asturias, Atlante, España, Marte and Moctezuma

Liga Occidental: Atlas and Guadalajara

Liga Veracruzana: A.D. Orizabeño and Veracruz

Expansion was evident as popularity increased. This popularity led to the league expanding the number of team participating. The F.M.F. changed the name of the Liga Mayor in 1950 to Primera División (First Division) and established the Segunda División (Second Division).

Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, many small clubs faced economic difficulties which were attributed to the lack of international competition by Mexican clubs and an unrewarding league format. Mexican clubs who placed relatively high in the league standings did not have the luxury to participate in prestigious international tournaments (such as the Copa Libertadores or the UEFA Champions League) as many South American and European clubs did. The F.M.F. knew they had to act to regenerate interest to save many of the smaller clubs from bankruptcy and recruit new investors. The F.M.F., along with affluent club owners, were able to attract key investors. As a result, the F.M.F was in a position to host the FIFA World Cup.

The Mexican League Boom

The 1970 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico was the first World Cup televised on a grand scale. For that one summer, the world looked to Mexico. This set a trend in marketing, recruitment and development. The new stadiums practice facilities built for the World Cup set a path for future events to come. Prior to the World Cup, the Liga Mayor awarded the team with the most points as national champions. The season following the FIFA World Cup, the F.M.F. changed the league format and established a playoff phase to determine the national champion. This was done to regenerate interest and reward teams that placed fairly high in the standings.

La Liguilla, playoffs for Football soccer.

The birth of the playoffs modernized the league despite the disagreements between the tradionalist and the modernist. Clubs that were near bankruptcy now were able to compete and generate profits. The playoffs have evolved since their inception. Today the teams are divided into groups, with the top teams from each group qualifing for a playoff phase called Liguilla. This playoff phase is played in two-leg aggregate-score format, similar to the quarterfinals and semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.

In 1996, the league decided to split the season into two championships. This measure was done to generate additional revenues to finance the F.M.F.'s lower divisions. The league holds two tournaments per year, first called invierno (winter) and verano (spring), now changed to clausura (closing) and apertura (opening).

At the end of a season, after the apertura and clausura tournaments, one team is relegated to the next lower division, Primera División A, and one team from that division is promoted and takes the place left open by the relegated team. Currently, the relegated team is determined by computing the points-per-game-played ratio for each team, considering all the games played by the team during the last three seasons (six tournaments). The team with the lower ratio is relegated. For teams recently promoted, only the games played since their promotion are considered (two or four tournaments). The team promoted from Primera Division A is the winner of a two-leg match between the champions of the apertura and clausura tournaments of that division. If a team becomes the champion in both tournaments, it is automatically promoted.

[El Kapitan]

Divisions.

Primera División de México (Mexican First Division)

Is the premier football championship established by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (F.M.F.) (English: Mexican Football Federation). The league currently consists of eighteen teams. The First Division is a successor of the Liga Mayor (Major League) that was established in 1943.

The 18 teams playing in primera division this 2005/06 are;

1- Club Atlas
2- Club de Futbol Necaxa Aguascalientes
3- CF San Luis
4- CD Guadalajara (Chivas)
5- CF America
6- Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara (Tecos)
7- Club Deportivo Cruz Azul
8- Atlante CF
9- Club Universidad Naciona Autonoma de Mexico (Pumas)
10- Monterrey CF
11- CD Toluca
12- Pachuca Football Club
13- CF Santos Laguna
14- CF Monarcas Morelia
15- CF Tiburones Rojos del Veracruz
16- Universidad de Nuevo Leon (Tigres)
17- Club Dorados de Sinaloa
18- CF Jaguares de Chiapas

Primera Division A (First Division A)

Is the immediate lower division of the Primera Division, currently consists on 20 teams, some of them with history in first division and national championships, the Primera A was established with it's current structure in the early 90's but it was formed over the structure of the 1950's second division. The change of name was due a recognition of financial autonomy from the Primera Division. The championship is played with the same system of the first division, the Champ of the Apertura faces the Champ of the Clausura and the winner is promoted to the Primera Division, if a team wins both tournaments is automatically promoted, the last place in points per game played ratio after both tournaments is relegated to the next lower division, the Second Division.

La Segunda Division, (Second Division).

An old fashioned Division, teams face each other within five geographic regions, Norte(North), Sur (South), Centro (Center), Occidente (West) and Bajio (North-Central), the winner of each region advance to a group stage, the winner of that stage is the second division champion and is promoted to the Primera A, the relegation is more elaborated, teams are relegated depending on each region depending on overall performance, number of teams by region, and economic capacity, at least one team gets relegated in the Second Division, but there can be more if the conditions are met.

Tercera Division.

The last professional division, it's a huge system of geographic regions, similar to the second division, the overall champ of the tournament is promoted to the second division, unless they can't meet the economic obligations, in that case the second place is offered the second division spot, if more than one team in the second division don't meet their economic obligations can be relegated to the third division and other third division teams could be promoted. In this division teams are not relegated but can be folded for bad results and lack of financial responsability.

Development Teams.

A tournament with the youth squads of every first division team plus the Puebla of primera A.

Amateur Circuit.

There's one association for each state of the country, in every state there can be one or more tournaments, teams are not promoted or relegated, they play for the pride and the joy of the game.

[El Kapitan]

Primera Division Teams.

America

Founded in 1916, one of the most popular clubs in the country, 10 times champion of the league in the professional era, by far the most hated team of the country, comparable in that sense to the NY Yankees in professional baseball. They play in the Azteca stadium in Mexico City.

Star players: Claudio "El Piojo" Lopez, and Cuauhtemoc Blanco.
Hated Rivals: Chivas, Pumas and Cruz Azul.
Colors: Yellow and Blue

Atlante

Founded in 1917, they were one of the most popular teams in the early history of Mexican Football, they struggle to join the league for the lack of money and only managed to join the league after selling a cow, that combined with the fact that played with courage and defeated big teams help them to build a large fanbase and the nick name of "the team of the people", sadly their lack of success in modern football and bad administration made them the club with least fans in the league. They have won the league two times in the professional era. They play in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Star Player: Patricio Galaz, and Federico Vilar
Hated Rivals: Necaxa (fading rivalry) and Cruz Azul (fading rivalry).
Colors: Red and Blue.

Atlas

Founded in 1916, by a group of mexican young men educated in England, very fast this team grew in recognition from the crowd because they were the only team in the first days of football in Mexico that knew how to give effect to the ball, they named the Club Atlas because they felt as the support of the world. They have won only once the league in the professional era. They play in the Jalisco Stadium in the city of Guadalajara.

Star player: Andres Guardado
Hated Rival: Chivas
Colors: Red and Black.

Cruz Azul

Founded in 1927, they played in the amateur circuit for many years bofore joining the pro league, the name Cruz Azul is due to the owner of the team the cement manufacturer Cruz Azul. Ever since they joined the pro league in the 60's they have become one of the most succesful teams in Mexico, they have won the Championship of the league in 7 times and enjoy a great fan base, this team is the third most popular team of the country, plays in the Azul stadium in Mexico City.

Star Player: Cesar "Chelito" Delgado, Francisco "Kikin" Fonseca.
Hated Rivals: America, Pumas, Pachuca (fading rivalry) and Atlante (fading rivalry).
Colors: Blue and white.

Dorados de Sinaloa.

Founded in 2002, this is a cinderella team, the owners bought a Primera A team and they pretty soon earned the promotion for the 2004-2005 campaign, ever since they have managed to stay in the first division. They play in the Stadium Carlos Gonzales y Gonzales in Culiacan Sinaloa.

Star players: W. Sebastian Abreu and Josep Guardiola.
Hated Rivals: None
Colors: White and Gold.

Chivas

Founded in 1906, this club was founded originally as the Union Football Club by mexican, french, and belgic students, those foreign founders are the only foreigns that were allowed to play with the team and ever since Chivas only fields mexicans. They were the most succesfull team in amateur history and in pro history they have won the league in 10 tournaments, they are one of the most popular clubs in the country (maybe the most) and unlike their archirival America they are repected all over the country for playing only with mexicans. They play in the Jalisco stadium in the city of Guadalajara.

Star players: Oswaldo Sanchez , and Omar Bravo.
Hated Rivals: America, Atlas and Pumas
Colors: Red, and white.

Jaguares de Chiapas

Founded in 2002 after acquiring the rights of the first division franchise Veracruz, there's little to add about the team that plays in the most controversial state of the country. They play in the Stadium Victor Manuel Reyna in the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Star player: Salvador Cabañas.
Hated Rivals: None
Colors: Orange and White.

Monarcas

Founded in 1924 origanally under the name of Oro, this team is a typicall mid-table team, that has started to enjoy success in the modern era after many years of struggle and sometimes relegation. They have won the league once. They play in the stadium Jose Ma. Morelos in the city of Morelia.

Star player: Luis Gabriel Rey
Hated rival: None (although there's an emerging rivalry with America)
Colors: Yellow and Red.

Monterrey

Founded in 1945 they pretty soon joined the Liga Mayor, but economic problems relegated the team and force them to close operations, years later they managed a comeback to the top category, ever since they have won the league twice spite being one of the richest clubs in mexican football. They play in the Tecnologico stadium in the city of Monterrey.

Star players: Luis Perez, and Jesus Arellano
Hated Rivals: Tigres
Colors: Blue and white

Necaxa

Founded in 1923 they were one of the most popular teams in the country, with Atlante they created the first rivalry of the country, after years of amateur success the team closed operations when the league turned pro, years later they came back but without matching their amateur success, in the 70's an economic crisis forced the team to change ownership and they were bought by Mexican-Spanish investors that changed the name of the team for Toros del Atletico Español, the change for a name that was related to Spain was a huge mistake, the original fans of Necaxa recented the change and leaved the new Atletico Español, the Atletico soon become the most hated team in the country (Football teams with foreign origins in Mexico specially from Spain are terribly unsuccessfull) and the one with least followers. They changed back their name to Necaxa in the 80's but never managed to recover from their days as Atletico Español, they achieved three league championships but the stadium stayed almost empty, the lack of fans forced the club to relocate to the central city of Aguascalientes, were they play today in the Victoria stadium.

Star player: Alfredo Moreno, and Tressor Moreno
Hated Rivals: Atlante (fading rivalry)
Colors: White and Red.

Pachuca

The oldest club in mexican football, founded in 1901 by English workers in the central city of Pachuca, this team enjoyed little success in the amateur era, they closed operations until they rejoined the league but this time in the second division of mexican football, ever since they struggled between promotions and relegations, finally in recent years they have enjoyed success and have managed to win the league in three times, they play in the Hidalgo stadium in the city of Pachuca.

Star player: Miguel Calero and Nelson "Pipino" Cuevas
Hated Rival: Cruz Azul (fading rivalry)
Colors: White and Blue.

San Luis

A team that struggles with promotions and relegations, the modern San Luis re-emerged in 2002, but it had it's origins in the old Real San Luis from the 1950's, this is their first year in Primera division after a few years of absence of the top circuit. They play in the city of San Luis in the Alfonso Lastra stadium.

Star player: Hector "Pity" Altamirano
Hated Rivals: None
Colors:Blue and yellow.

Santos

Founded in 1979, they played originally in the central state of Morelos, they relocated a couple times after founding their home in the city of Torreon. Traditionally a mid-table club, they found recent success to win the league in two ocassions. They play in the Corona stadium in the city of Torreon.

Star player: Rodrigo "Pony" Ruiz, Vicente Vuoso.
Hated Rival: None
Colors: Green and White.

[El Kapitan]

Teams II

Tigres

Founded in 1960 as the representative of the University of Nuevo Leon in professional football, the Tigres grew in popularity in later decades, they have never enjoyed much success spite being one of the richest clubs in the league, they keep one of the most passional rivalries in the country with their neighborns of Monterrey. They have won two league championships and play in the Universitario stadium in the city of San Nicolas de los Garza (Monterrey metropolitan area).

Star player: Walter "El Divino" Gaytan., and Sebastian "Chamagol" Gonzales
Hated rival: Monterrey
Colors: Yellow and blue.

Toluca

Founded in 1916 the red devils are one of the most consistent teams in mexican football, they have kept a low profile but have been successful in first division winning the league in eight opportunities. They play in the Nemesio Diez stadium in the city of Toluca.

Star player: Antonio Naelson "Sinha", Rodrigo "Rengo" Diaz.
Hated Rival:None
Colors:Red and white

Tecos

Founded in 1971 as the representative of the University of Guadalajara in mexican pro football, this team has enjoyed of some success with out matching the popularity of the other two clubs in Guadalajara, this is one of the clubs with least fans in mexican football, still they won the championship once, they play in the stadium Galeria in the city of Zapopan (Guadalajara metropolitan area).

Star player: Daniel "Hachita" Ludueña.
Hated rival: None
Colors: White and red.

Pumas

Founded in 1954 as the representative of the National University in pro football, the Pumas have come a long way from their early days, in the decade of the 70's they created the first system to work with kids all over the country developing a system that continuosly provided young players for the team and even other teams in the league, that youthfull image and dynamic style don't only gave them success but also lots of fans, becoming one of the most popular teams in the country, only behind Chivas, America, and Cruz Azul, they have won the league five times, play in the Olimpico Universitario stadium in the University City (Within Mexico City).

Star player: Bruno "Barullo" Marioni, Joaquin "Capitan" Beltran
Hated Rivals: America, Chivas and Cruz Azul
Colors: Blue and Gold.

Veracruz.

The red sharks were founded in 1940, twice champions of league this team enjoys lots of tradition and a good fan base in their state, even though this team has struggled through different periods and even in recent years they have fought with relegations and promotions. They play in the Luis "Pirata" Fuente in the city of Veracruz.

Star players: Gustavo "Grillo" Biscayzacu
Hated Rival: None
Colors: Red and blue.

[El Kapitan]

Selección Mexicana, the National Team.

The Mexican National team has 81 years of history, the first time a National squad was created was after a tour of the mexican club America in Guatemala in 1923, thanks to the success of that tour a year after a comission of the mexican federation decided to create a Mexican representative.

The first players to ever wear a national team jersey were:

Nacho de la Garza,
Pedro “Perico” Legorreta,
Manuel “Güero” Yáñez,
Enrique “La Matona” Esquivel,
Agustín Ojeda,
Roberto Jardón,
Carlos Garcés,
Horacio Ortiz,
Adeodato López,
Mauro Guadarrama “La Venada” Alatorre,
Cornelio Cuevas, y
Alfredo “Fofo” García Besné.

The coach was the legendary Rafael Garza Gutiérrez “Record”.

Back then the uniform wasn't the modern green jersey , white shorts and red socks. At that time it was considered of bad taste to use the colors of the flag in your cloathing, so the federation decided to use a dark red jersey (almost burgundy), black shorts and socks.

They started playing international tournaments in 1928, in their first tournament ever they played in Holland only one match against Spain and were destroyed 7:1.

They participated in the first World Cup ever in 1930, and had a terrible performance.

Years later they reapered in the WC of 1950 after losing two invitations to the WC, from then on the historic goalie of the national team Antonio "Tota" Carbajal played 5 WC's in a row.

The WC of Chile 62 marks the first good performance of a national team in such tournaments, by beating Chekslovakia (later finalist of the tournament) by 3:1.

In 1970 and 1986 Mexico hosted the WC, in both tournaments ended up in the 6th place and in both cases they lost in the quarterfinals against the later subchampion.

The WC's of 1974, 1982 and 1990 are the only modern WC's with out the presence of the Mexican national team. The cases of 74 and 82 are the only two times when Mexico has lost the ticket in the qualifiers, the case of 1990 Mexico was sanctioned by FIFA and couldn't participate although it was qualified.

The first apparence of the green jersey was until the WC of 1978.

The decade of the 90's represents a boom for the Mexican national team, they started to participate in the Copa America, the Cup of Nations organized by Conmebol, in 1993 they played for the first time the Copa America and they were subchampions of the tournament losing the final to Argentina 2:1.
In from WC 94 to 02 the national team has played in constantly in the WC and have always advanced to the final 16.

Nowdays the Mexican National team is a very competitive team, with some players in European leagues, but most playing in the Mexican First Division, a league that just like the national team is very competitive and growing.

[Ese_Guy]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to El Kapitan again.

As always, El Kapitan is full of great info and insight.
I agree that this info was necessary, therefore this thread shall be parked

[Calif]

Eso El Kapitan buena informacion.

[gresaa*cr7]

yyyea greatt info!..thannnkss

[Majid]

where can i take some reputation points for my self

[Mexico Kid]

Nice..you've been repped!

[Rayado_Inglés]

This way we can give a little push to promote mexican football in other countries, and maybe just maybe one of these days we can find a Greek fan of Chivas, a Nigerian fan of Pumas or a Chinese fan of the America.

Dont forget the English fan of Monterrey! haha

[Majid]

Nice..you've been repped!

lol

[Ese_Guy]

Dont forget the English fan of Monterrey! haha

LOL, that's true!

Tambien acuerdense del los Pochos fanaticos de la FMF!

[Rayado_Inglés]

jeje pocho.. mis amigos me han contado de este. creen que el acento ingles es bien chido!