From players like Hugo Sanchez and Carlos Salcido to Javier Hernandez and Rafael Marquez, Mexico has imported some of its finest players to the creme de la creme of Europe.
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There are very few countries in the CONCACAF region that have a rich history when it comes to producing some of the best players in the world.Out of the 41 countries currently in the association, Mexico stands out as a shining light. El Tri, as they are also known, have qualified for seventeen FIFA World Cups and have consistently made it to the tournament since 1994.
Over the years, some of the Mexican players have gone on to play for some of the biggest clubs in the world and in Europe. From players like Hugo Sanchez and Carlos Salcido to Javier Hernandez and Rafael Marquez, Mexico has imported some of its finest players to the creme de la creme of Europe.
In this article, we will take a look at the best Mexican XI of all time.
Guillermo Ochoa is considered to be the best Mexican goalkeeper in history. He made his debut in 2004 and is still an active player, going strong and showing no signs of slowing down. He played in five world cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022) and despite being 37 years old, Ochoa is still the number one when it comes to standing in between the sticks for Mexico. Ochoa has played in Ligue 1 and the La Liga during his time in Europe and currently is the captain of Liga MX team Club América. He is known for his penalty stopping and for being a vocal voice given that he is one of the elder statesmen in the Mexican dressing room.
Gustavo Pena was one of the few players to have spent his entire playing career in Mexico. He played for five clubs during his career that spanned for two decades, Oro Guadalajara, Cruz Azul, Jalisco, Monterrey and Laguna. Pena also played 82 times for the national team from 1961 to 1974 and was the captain at the 1966 and 1970 World Cups.
As far as centre backs are concerned, Rafael Marquez is one of the finest in history. El Kaiser, as he was fondly known, had a career that spanned across two decades as he was an active player for 22 years from 1996 to 2018. During his illustrious career,Marquez went on to play for Monaco in Ligue 1 and most importantly for FC Barcelona from 2003 to 2010. During his time at Barcelona, he won the lot as he was an integral cog alongside Carles Puyol in defence. Rafa also played 147 times for the national team and scored 17 goals in the process
Claudio Suarez was one of the longest serving Mexican players in history. In a career that spanned from 1988 to 2009, Suarez plied his trade in Mexico for his entire career. He played for some of the top clubs in Mexico like Guadalajara, Club Universidad Nacional, Chivas USA etc. El Emperador as he was fondly known was also capped 177 times by Mexico, making him the second player with the most caps in history for the Mexican football team. He scored seven goals in his international career.
Carlos Salcido was one of the most decorated Mexican players of all time. After starting off his career playing for Guadalajara where he played for 96 games, he moved to the Netherlands to play for PSV Eindhoven, where he made his name on this international stage. Playing over 100 games in the Eredivisie, Salcido got his big break and moved to the English Premier League as he was bought by Fulham. After an underwhelming spell in England, Salcido moved back to his native Mexico and signed for Tigres UANL. He played 123 times for the national team and won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2011 and the Olympic gold medal in 2012.
A stellar defensive midfielder of his time, Pavel Pardo was a star in Mexico. He started off his career by playing for Atlas F.C. in the Mexican league. However, he made his name as one the best Mexican players when he was playing for Club América where he played 244 times and scored 22 goals. He then moved to the German Bundesliga as he was snapped up by Vfb Stuttgart. During his time in Germany, he won the Bundesliga in 2007. He was capped 146 times for Mexico and scored 11 goals as he helped them win the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1999 and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1998 and 2003.
Alberto Garcia Aspe was a diminutive midfielder who was known for his brilliant goal scoring from midfield. Garcia started off in the Mexican league with Club Universidad Nacional and then moved to Club Necaxa. Garcia scored 40 goals for his first team and then scored 69 goals for Necaxa. He played 109 times for the national team and scored 21 times in a career that saw him feature in three FIFA World Cups. He currently works as a commentator for Fox Deportes.
Nicknamed El Maestro, Benjamin Galindo was a master in his own right. An icon in the Mexican league where he played over 700 times, Galindo was a star. Starting off with Tampico Madero in 1979, he moved to Guadalajara in 1986 and played 271 times and in the process scored 84 goals. Galindo played 65 times for Mexico and scored 28 goals as he participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. After retiring, Galido went to become a manager and managed some of the biggest clubs in Mexico like Guadalajara, Cruz Azul and Atlas.
Cuauhtemoc Blanco was one of the most gifted forwards in Mexico history. He was best known for his ability to dictate play as a deep lying forward. Blanco played more than 300 times for Club América and scored 108 goals. He also played for La Liga club Real Valladolid on loan. He was also a part of the Chicago Fire team in the MLS from 2007 to 2009. Bravo played 119 times for the national team and scored 38 goals. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers to come out of Mexico.
Hugo Sanchez was the first player to come out of Mexico and make it big in Europe. After starting his career at Club Universidad Nacional, Sanchez moved to Spain to play for Atlético Madrid before making the controversial switch to rivals Real Madrid. It was at Real that Hugo made his name as a feared forward and one of the world’s best. He played 207 times for Real Madrid scoring 164 times and won the league in 1986, 87, 88, 89 and 90. Sanchez played 58 times for the national team and scored 29 times.
One of the most fleeting forwards in his prime, Javier Hernandez had an eye for goal unlike any other. He came to the fore in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and put the world on notice when he scored versus France and Argentina. Chicharito was then snapped by Manchester United and won the league in 2011 and 2013 under the tutelage of the great Sir Alex Ferguson. He also played for Real Madrid on loan in 2014 and scored seven goals. Chicharito has since played for Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham United and Sevilla. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS. He played 109 times for Mexico and scored 52 times.
| Player | Years active |
| Guillermo Ochoa (Goalkeeper) | 2004 – present |
| Gustavo Pena (Right back) | 1960 – 1977 |
| Rafael Marquez (Centre back) | 1996 – 2018 |
| Claudio Suarez (Center back) | 1988 – 2009 |
| Carlos Salcido (Left back) | 2001 – 2019 |
| Pavel Pardo (Central defensive midfielder) | 1993 – 2012 |
| Alberto Garcia Aspe (Central midfielder) | 1984 – 2002 |
| Benjamin Galindo Central midfielder) | 1979 – 2001 |
| Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Attacking midfielder) | 1992 – 2016 |
| Hugo Sanchez (Striker) | 1976 – 1997 |
| Javier Hernandez (Striker) | 2006 – present |
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