Atlante F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Atlante

Full name	Atlante Fútbol Club S.A. de C.V.
Nickname(s)	Los Potros de Hierro (The Iron Colts) Los Azulgranas (The Blue-and-Garnets) El Equipo del Pueblo (The People's Team) Los Prietitos
Short name	ATL
Founded	18 April 1916; 109 years ago (1916-04-18), as Sinaloa 1921; 104 years ago (1921), as Atlante
Ground	Estadio Agustín "Coruco" Díaz, Zacatepec, Mexico
Ground Capacity	24,313
Owner	Emilio Escalante
Chairman	Jorge Santillana
Manager	Miguel de Jesús Fuentes
League	Liga de Expansión MX
Clausura 2025	Regular phase: 2nd Final phase: Quarterfinals
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Atlante Fútbol Club is a professional football team from Mexico City, Mexico. They play in the Liga de Expansión MX, which is the second-highest football league in Mexico.

The club started in 1916 as Sinaloa. It changed names a few times, including Lusitania and U-53. In 1921, it became Atlante, named after the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1943, Atlante was one of the first teams in the Liga Mayor, Mexico's top league. The team has won three national league championships. Two of these wins were when they were based in Mexico City. Their most recent win was in 2007, after they moved to Cancún. They later returned to Mexico City.

Atlante has also won the Copa México twice and the Campeón de Campeones once. They have won the CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League two times. In 2009, Atlante FC reached the semifinals of the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup.

Club History

How Atlante Started

Commemorative plaque from 2016 about Atlante Fútbol Club's founding on April 18, 1916. It's in colonia Roma, Mexico City.

Atlante was founded on April 18, 1916. A group of young Mexican football fans started the team. Their leader was Refugio "El Vaquero" Martínez. The team first played in the La Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City.

After changing names a few times, Refugio Martínez suggested "Atlante". This name honored the big battles fought in the Atlantic Ocean during World War I.

In the 1920s, players like the Rosas brothers, Manuel "Chaquetas" and Felipe "Diente", became famous. Juan "El Trompo" Carreño also helped Atlante become very popular. They were especially loved by working-class people. This led to their famous nickname, El Equipo del Pueblo, meaning "The People's Team".

Juan Carreño made history by scoring Mexico's first goal in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. He also scored Mexico's first goal ever in a FIFA World Cup. This happened during the first match against France in the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.

Joining the Top League

Even though Atlante was popular, the Mexican Federation did not let them join the top league, the Liga Mayor. To join, Atlante had to win special matches. They played against strong teams like Toluca and América. Atlante won these games 7–2 and 2–1.

After joining the Liga Mayor, Atlante started a big rivalry with Necaxa. This became the first major rivalry in Mexican football. Their games were very intense. In the 1931–32 tournament, they even finished with the same points.

In the early days of Mexican football, foreign teams often beat local clubs. But Atlante was different. They were the first Mexican team to become famous for beating these "giants". In 1929, Atlante defeated Sabaria from Hungary 3–1. In 1930, they beat Sportivo from Buenos Aires twice. One of their most remembered wins was in 1931. They beat Bella Vista from Uruguay 3–2. That Uruguayan team had three players who won the first World Cup a year before.

In the 1940s, during World War II, Atlante's player Horacio Casarín became very skilled. He also became a key player for the Mexico national team. Atlante's popularity grew even more. The team was shown in many Mexican films from that era. Players Horacio Casarín and Martí Ventolrà even appeared in some of these movies.

Becoming Professional and First Championship

In 1943, the Mexican Federation created the Professional League. Atlante was one of the first six clubs from Mexico City to join. This league is now known as the Mexican Primera División.

Four tournaments later, Atlante won its first championship. This was in the 1946–47 season. The team was helped by its owner, General Jose Manuel Nuñez, and its amazing player Horacio Casarín. The final match against León had 48,622 fans. The President, Miguel Alemán Valdés, even joined the team on the field after their win.

Before that, in 1945, Atlante set a Latin American record. They scored 121 goals in 30 matches in one season. That's more than four goals per game! Atlante was also the first Mexican team to win the Campeón de Campeones cup in the 1941–42 season.

After their first title, other teams started winning championships. But Atlante remained a strong team. They were still very popular with working-class fans. They also won runner-up, Mexican Cup, and Champion of Champions titles in the early 1950s. In 1966, General Jose Manuel Nuñez sold the team. After this, Atlante had some tough years. In 1976, they were moved down from the Primera División to the Segunda División.

The IMSS Era

The team returned to the Primera División for the 1977–78 season. In October 1978, the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) bought the team. They wanted to make it the biggest football club in the world. With government support, the team had successful seasons. Old idol Horacio Casarín became the coach. Cabinho, Mexico's all-time top goalscorer, joined the team. He became a three-time champion striker with Atlante in 1980, 1981, and 1982.

Their good performance led them to the 1981–82 final championship match against Tigres UANL. Atlante finished as runner-up after a penalty shootout. However, a year later, Atlante won its first international title. They won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup against Suriname's Robinhood.

Even though the government owned the team, another group managed it. This group, the Departamento del Distrito Federal (DDF), tried to boost the team. But they had little success. After playing for years at the Estadio Azteca, the team had to move. Their new home was the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes.

In 1989, the DDF sold the team to Jose Antonio García. He owned the sports company Garcis. After a difficult season at a new stadium in Querétaro, the team was moved down again. They went back to the Segunda División.

Second Championship Title

Atlante made an amazing comeback to the Primera División. They played three great games against Pachuca in the Segunda División Championship final. The series went to extra time and then penalty kicks. Atlante's goalkeeper, Félix Fernández, scored the winning penalty kick. The final score was 9–8.

In the 1992–93 season, Atlante won its second championship title. They were led by coach Ricardo La Volpe. The final match was played at Monterrey's stadium against Monterrey. New Atlante stars from that championship included Raúl Gutiérrez, Félix Fernández, and famous strikers Luis Miguel Salvador and Daniel Guzmán. The team won its second title in 45 years.

By winning, Atlante qualified for the Concacaf Champions Cup again. They lost in the final match to Cartaginés from Costa Rica. After this win, Atlante was eliminated from the playoffs for several years. This happened even with new important players like Hugo Sánchez, Jorge Campos, and Gabriel Miranda.

The team faced relegation issues again. So, Grupo Televisa decided to buy Atlante. They moved the team back to the Estadio Azteca. With this boost, Atlante got strong new players. These included Zague, Martín Felix Ubaldi, and Luis García. They also got a new coach, Miguel Mejía Barón. He had just coached the National team well in the 1994 World Cup.

Atlante had some memorable seasons. They were the first team to lead an entire short tournament (Invierno 1996). They also made it to the playoffs in Verano 1997 and Invierno 1997. However, they didn't win any major titles. They even had a tough playoff series against Toros Neza in Verano 1997, losing 9–2 overall.

The Third "Relegation" Era

Many problems happened in Atlante's history in the late 1990s. These issues shaped the team's future. New coaches without much experience joined the team. Players were not strong or committed. The team even changed its main uniform colors from red and blue to orange. This made the team and its fans feel like they had lost their identity.

Fans started supporting other successful teams. Atlante's home matches became empty. Bad and boring games, poor skill, and players who didn't care led Atlante to face relegation again. They were about to move down to the Segunda División, which was now called Primera División A.

Manuel Lapuente, who had coached the National team successfully in the 1998 World Cup, was given the job to save the team. He coached them in the Verano 2001 tournament. But Lapuente and his players could not reach the goal.

However, there was a chance for Atlante. The Mexican Federation wanted to add two new teams to the Primera División. Atlante paid $5 million and got to play a special series of matches. They played against Veracruz, the runner-up of Primera A. Atlante won the series 4–1. This allowed them to stay in the top division as one of the new expansion teams.

The Rebirth of Atlantismo

After this, the team's directors made a serious commitment. They ended their partnership with Televisa. Alejandro Burillo Azcárraga became the sole owner. The club focused on developing young players. Atlante became the team with the most youth players making their debut in the Primera División since 2000.

First Carlos Reinoso, then Miguel Herrera, helped build a new team. This team had its own spirit and great players. Popular players like Sebastián "Chamagol" González, Luis Gabriel Rey, and goalie Federico Vilar brought the team back into the spotlight. They reached three quarter-finals and two semi-finals in the playoffs. The team tried moving to a different stadium, the Estadio Azulgrana Neza 86, but then moved back to Estadio Azteca.

Former players who became coaches, René Isidoro García and José Guadalupe Cruz, worked hard. They tried to keep the team's spirit and skill strong. But low attendance at home matches remained a big problem. This was due to Mexico City teams often having low attendance. Also, the team's football level was inconsistent, and it lacked a clear identity.

The Third Championship in Quintana Roo

On May 14, 2007, Atlante officially left the Estadio Azteca. Their games there were not making money because not enough fans showed up. They hoped that moving to Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo in Cancún, Quintana Roo, would bring back their popularity and improve attendance.

Atlante quickly adjusted to their new home. They started winning important matches, both at home and away. After tough playoff games against Cruz Azul and Guadalajara, Atlante faced Pumas UNAM in the final.

On December 9, 2007, just five months after moving, Atlante won its third championship. Goalie Federico Vilar played great. Players like Giancarlo Maldonado, Gabriel Pereyra, Javier Muñoz, José Joel "El Chicharo" González, and Clemente Ovalle also played key roles. Ovalle scored the winning goal four minutes before the game ended. This win brought back Atlante's popularity across the country, especially in Cancún.

By winning the Apertura 2007 Championship, Atlante qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2008. They were eliminated by Costa Rican team Saprissa in the quarter-finals. Atlante also qualified for the SuperLiga 2008. They were eliminated by the New England Revolution in the semi-finals.

Atlante joined the CONCACAF Champions League in its first season, 2008–09. They reached the final match against Cruz Azul. Atlante won the series 2–0. This made them CONCACAF Club Champions. They earned the right to play in the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Return to International Spotlight

Atlante was invited to the Peace Cup in Spain. They replaced Celtic and played against Málaga and Aston Villa. Atlante was eliminated by Aston Villa, who later won the tournament.

Atlante signed Santiago Solari to make the team stronger. He was a major player, like Hugo Sanchez in 1995. He joined a special group of international players who played for the club. These included Grzegorz Lato, Ruben "Ratón" Ayala, Ricardo La Volpe, Cabinho, and Faustino Asprilla.

At the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, Atlante beat Auckland City 3–0 in the quarter-finals. In the semifinals, they faced Barcelona. It was an interesting match because both teams had players named Rafael Márquez. FIFA decided Barcelona would play in different colors. Atlante scored first, but Barcelona won 3–1. In the third-place match, Atlante lost to Pohang Steelers in a penalty shootout. They finished in fourth place.

Shirt Sponsors and Manufacturers

Honours

National Titles

Atlante FC honours

Type	Competition	Titles	Winning editions	Runners-up
Top division	Liga Mayor/Primera División/Liga MX	3	1946–47, 1992–93, Apertura 2007	1945–46, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1981–82
	Copa México/Copa MX	2	1950–51, 1951–52	1942–43, 1943–44, 1945–46, 1948–49, 1962–63, Clausura 2013
	Campeón de Campeones	1	1952	1947, 1951
Promotion divisions	Liga de Expansión MX	3	Apertura 2021, Apertura 2022, Clausura 2024	Guardianes 2020, Apertura 2023
	Campeón de Campeones de la Liga de Expansión MX	1	2022	2023, 2024
	Ascenso MX	0	–	Apertura 2015, Apertura 2016
	Segunda División	2	1976–77, 1990–91	–

International Titles

Type	Competition	Titles	Winning editions	Runners-up
Continental CONCACAF	CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League	2	1983, 2008–09	1994

Notes

•      record
• ^s shared record

Amateur Titles

• Campeonato de Primera Fuerza/Liga Mayor: 1931–32, 1940–41
• Copa México: 1941–42
• Campeón de Campeones: 1942

International Record

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1983	CONCACAF Champions' Cup	First Round	Comunicaciones	2–0	2–2	4–2
		Second Round	New York Pancyprian-Freedoms	3–2	1–1	4–3
		Third Round	Suchitepéquez	6–0	2–2	8–2
		Final	Robinhood	5–0	1–1	6–1
1994	CONCACAF Champions' Cup	First Round	Firpo	2–1	4–1	6–2
		Second Round	Herediano	3–1	3–3	6–4
		Semi-finals	Alianza	2–1
		Final	Cartaginés	2–3
2008	CONCACAF Champions' Cup	Quarter-finals	Saprissa	2–1	0–3	2–4
	SuperLiga	Group A	Houston Dynamo	0–4		2nd
			D.C. United	3–2
			Guadalajara	2–0
		Semi-finals	New England Revolution	0–1
2009	CONCACAF Champions League	Group C	Olimpia	1–0	1–1	1st
			Montreal Impact	2–1	0–0
			Joe Public	2–0	0–1
		Quarter-finals	Houston Dynamo	3–0	1–1	4–1
		Semi-finals	Santos Laguna	3–1	1–2	4–3
		Final	Cruz Azul	0–0	2–0	2–0
	2009 FIFA Club World Cup	Quarter-finals	Auckland City	3–0
		Semi-finals	Barcelona	1–3
		Third Place	Pohang Steelers	1–1 (3–4 p)

Team Personnel

Management

Position	Staff
Chairman	Emilio Escalante
Sporting president	Jorge Santillana
Director of academy	Pascual Sandoval

Coaching Staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Miguel de Jesús Fuentes
Assistant managers	Horacio Moreno Alfonso Rippa
Fitness coach	Marco Hideroa
Physiotherapist	Sergio Rojas
Team doctors	Ramón Gómez Jesús González

Players

First-team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Víctor Mendoza 2 DF Francisco Reyes 3 DF Diego Cruz 5 MF Hardy Meza 6 MF Paul Galván 8 MF Ronaldo González 11 FW Rafael Durán (on loan from Puebla) 13 MF Maximiliano García 15 MF Éric Cantú 17 MF Leonardo Mejía 18 MF Christian Bermúdez 20 MF Jesús Hernández 21 MF Javier Ibarra 23 GK Marco Millán

No. Position Player 24 DF Jorge Santillana 26 DF Mateo Espinosa 27 DF Armando Escobar 28 DF Elbis 29 MF Rodrigo de Dios 30 DF Emiliano Espinoza 31 GK Nicolás Forastiero 32 GK Alfredo Cabañas 33 DF Agustín Wences 34 MF Édgar Jiménez 35 MF Adrián Sánchez 37 DF Benedit Bello 38 MF Jefferson Tenorio

Retired Numbers

• 12 – Félix Fernández, Goalkeeper (1989–98, 1999–01, 2002–03)

Reserve Teams

• Atlante Xalapa
  • This is a reserve team that plays in the Liga TDP. This is the fourth level of the Mexican league system.
• Atlante Chalco
  • This is another reserve team that plays in the Liga TDP.

Top Goalscorers

Dionisio "Nicho" Mejía	1927–28
Juan Carreño	1931–32
Alberto "Caballo" Mendoza	1939–40
Martí Ventolrà	1941–42
Bernardo "Manolete" Hernández	1967–68
Cabinho	1979–80
Cabinho	1980–81
Cabinho	1981–82
Luis García	1997 Invierno
Luis Gabriel Rey	2003 Apertura
Johan Fano	2010 Bicentenario
Esteban Paredes	2012 Apertura
Giancarlo Maldonado	2014 Apertura
Carlos Garcés	2015 Apertura

Coaches

Champion Coaches

See also

In Spanish: Atlante Fútbol Club para niños