The greatest Mexican soccer player

Hugo Sánchez

Hugo Sánchez Márquez (born 11 July 1958) is a Mexican former professional footballer and manager, who played as a forward. A prolific goalscorer known...

Hugo Sánchez Márquez (born 11 July 1958) is a Mexican former professional footballer and manager, who played as a forward. A prolific goalscorer known for his spectacular strikes and volleys, Sánchez is widely regarded as the greatest Mexican footballer of all time.[3] In 1999, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics voted Sánchez the 26th best footballer of the 20th century, and the best footballer from the CONCACAF region.[4] In 2004 Sánchez was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[5] He is the fourth highest scorer in the history of La Liga, the third highest scoring foreign player after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo,[6] and is the seventh highest goalscorer in Real Madrid's history.[7] He scored a total of 541 senior career goals for both club and country. Sánchez began his career playing for Club Universidad Nacional in 1976, and briefly went on loan to the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League in 1979. In 1981, he moved to Spain to play for Atlético Madrid, playing for the Colchoneros for four years before moving to cross-town rivals Real Madrid, where he would spend the best years of his career, winning numerous titles and accolades. From 1977 to 1994, Sánchez was a member of the Mexico national team, gaining 58 caps and scoring 29 goals. He participated in three FIFA World Cup tournaments and was a part of the Mexico team that reached the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup. Famous for his acrobatic goal celebrations throughout his club and international career, Sánchez was the first notable exponent of the backflip.[8] As a manager, he won two consecutive league championships with UNAM. After managing Necaxa, he was announced as coach of the Mexico national football team in 2006, but was fired in March 2008 due to poor results.[9] In 2009, Sánchez was named manager of UD Almería, and helped to save the club from relegation.

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Rafael Márquez

Rafael Márquez Álvarez (Spanish: [rafaˈel ˈmaɾkes] (About this soundlisten); born 13 February 1979) is a Mexican former footballer and currently the y...

Rafael Márquez Álvarez (Spanish: [rafaˈel ˈmaɾkes] (About this soundlisten); born 13 February 1979) is a Mexican former footballer and currently the youth coach (Cadete A) of Spanish Tercera División club Alcalá. Nicknamed El Káiser,[2] Márquez is regarded as the best defender in Mexico's history and one of the best Mexican players of all time.[3][4][5] He played as a central defender, sweeper, or defensive midfielder. 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 the Ligue 1 title. In 2003, Márquez transferred to FC Barcelona, becoming the first ever Mexican to represent the club. He would go on to play in over 200 games during seven seasons with the Blaugrana, and win numerous championships. In 2006, he became the first Mexican player to win the UEFA Champions League when Barcelona defeated Arsenal in the final. In 2010, Márquez joined the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. After being released from the club in 2012, he moved back to Mexico, this time to play for Club León,[6] 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.[7] He returned to boyhood club Atlas in 2015, and announced his retirement from football in April 2018. Márquez is the third most-capped player in the history of the Mexico national team, earning 147 caps throughout his career. In 2018, he became only the third player to play for his national team in five consecutive editions of the FIFA World Cup, alongside compatriot Antonio Carbajal, appearing in the 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions of the tournament.[8] He is also the Mexican player with the most World Cup matches played with 19.[9] 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, for whom he debuted 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.

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