Club León facts for kids
| Full name | Club León | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Los Panzas Verdes (The Green Bellies) La Fiera (The Wild Beast) Los Esmeraldas (The Emeralds) Los Verdiblancos (The Green and Whites) |
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| Founded | August 20, 1944 | |||
| Ground | Estadio León | |||
| Capacity | 27,423 | |||
| Owner | Grupo Pachuca | |||
| Chairman | Jesús Martínez Murguia | |||
| Manager | Eduardo Berizzo | |||
| League | Liga MX | |||
| Clausura 2023 | Regular phase: 6th Final phase: Reclassification |
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Club León is a professional football team from León, Guanajuato, Mexico. They play in the Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico.
León has won the Liga MX title eight times. Their wins were in 1948, 1949, 1952, 1956, 1992, Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, and Guardianes 2020. In 1949, they became the first Mexican team to win both the League and the México Cup in the same year. This special achievement is called "campeonísimo."
The team also won the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2023. This is a big tournament for clubs in North and Central America. They were runners-up in this competition in 1993.
In 2002, León moved down to a lower league called Liga de Ascenso. They worked hard to get back to the top league. They finally earned promotion in 2012. After returning, they won the Liga MX in Apertura 2013 and then again in Clausura 2014. Winning two championships in a row earned them the nickname "bicampeones."
The IFFHS ranked León as the 29th best club in Central and North America during the 20th century.
Contents
History of Club León
Club León was formed by combining two groups: Unión de Curtidores and Selección de Guanajuato. With money they raised, the club hired several players. These included Marcial Ortiz, Raul Varela, and Alfonso Montemayor. The team joined the Liga Mayor (now Liga MX) for its second season in 1944–45.
The team had players from Argentina, like Miguel Rugilo who was both coach and goalkeeper. Marcos Aurelio was a top scorer with 14 goals. Club León played their first game on August 20, 1944. They lost 5–3 to Atlante at Patria Stadium.
In the 1945–46 season, another team from León, San Sebastián, joined the league. Club León finished fourth out of 16 teams. They had 17 wins, 4 draws, and 9 losses. Alberto Mendoza was their top scorer with 24 goals.
Early Success and Challenges
In the 1946–47 season, new players joined, including Adalberto Lopez, who scored 33 goals. The team had a great season, finishing as runner-up. They also had a winning streak of fourteen games. A game against Atlante had to be moved from León to Mexico City. This was because of an animal disease outbreak in the Bajío region.
During a match in 1946, Florencio Caffaratti accidentally touched an electrical wire. Alfonso Montemayor bravely rescued him. Caffaratti later gave Montemayor a special gold coin to thank him.
Winning Championships
In the 1947–48 season, Club León was coached by José María Casullo. They tied for first place with Jalisco Gold. However, Jalisco Gold won the tie-breaking game.
The 1948–49 season was a big one for Club León. They beat Asturias 2–0, with goals from Adalberto López. This win helped them avoid a tie with Atlas and Guadalajara. León then became the first team to win the "campeonísimo" title. They achieved this by beating Atlante 3–0 in the cup final on August 14, 1949.
In 1951–52, Antonio López Herranz became the coach. Famous goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal joined the team. Marcos Aurelio also returned. León won both games against Guadalajara that year. They finished the season just one point behind the champions.
The team continued to do well in the 1955–56 season. They had their best winning streak ever with 12 wins and 7 draws. León won the final game against Oro 4–2. They also beat Toluca to secure another championship. In 1957–58, they won the Cup title.
Return to the Top League
In the 1986–87 season, Club León was relegated to the second division. They worked hard to get back to the top league. On May 10, 2012, they returned to the Primera División. They quickly made an impact, winning the Apertura tournament soon after their return.
The Esmeraldas (Emeralds), as they are nicknamed, were coached by Victor Manuel Vucetich in the 1990–91 season. They finished sixth in the league. Martin Uribe and Francisco Peña were key players, scoring many goals.
After another relegation, the club was sold to Carlos Ahumada. Then, in 2010, Grupo Pachuca bought the club.
Modern Era Success
Argentine coach Gustavo Matosas took over León in 2012. He led the team to an amazing season in the second division. They won 10 games, drew 4, and lost none. This helped them qualify directly for the playoffs. They won the final against Lobos BUAP with a total score of 7–3. This victory earned them the right to play in the Promotional Final. León won this final against Correcaminos UAT 6–2, and returned to the top league for the 2012–13 season.
León then made history by winning both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments in the 2013–14 season. This made them the first team in Mexico to win two consecutive championship titles twice. They had also done this in 1947–48 and 1948–49.
After Matosas left, Juan Antonio Pizzi became the coach. He later left to coach the Chile national team. Luis Fernando Tena took over, and the club reached the semi-finals of the Clausura 2016 championship.
In 2017, Javier Torrente became manager. He was later replaced by Gustavo Díaz.
On September 18, 2018, Ignacio Ambríz became León's manager. In the 2019 Clausura, he led the team to a record of eleven consecutive wins. They also earned 41 points, which was the most ever in the 17-match tournament format. They reached the final but lost 1–0 to Tigres UANL. Ambríz was named the best manager for that season.
In the Guardianes 2020 tournament, León finished first with 40 points. On December 13, they won the league title. They defeated Club Universidad Nacional with a total score of 3–1. This victory gave them their eighth title, making them one of Mexico's most successful teams.
León Stadium
The home of Club León is Estadio León. It is also unofficially known as "Nou Camp." This football stadium is in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. It is used for Club León's games and other special events.
Construction of the stadium began on August 18, 1965. The building was finished by the end of 1966. The stadium officially opened on February 1, 1967. The first match was between Santos of Brazil and River Plate of Argentina. Santos won the game 2–1.
Estadio León has hosted two World Cups. The first was the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Teams like West Germany, Peru, Bulgaria, and Morocco played there. It also hosted a quarterfinal game between West Germany and England. The second was the 1986 FIFA World Cup. During this tournament, the stadium hosted group matches and a second-round match.
In 2020, the club had to leave the stadium temporarily. This was because of a legal ruling about who owned the stadium. They played one match at Estadio Victoria. However, the club soon returned to Estadio León.
There are plans to turn parts of the stadium into a museum. There are also talks about building a new stadium for the team in the future.
Rivalries
Club León has a few important rivalries. The oldest one is with Unión de Curtidores. This rivalry started because both teams are from León, Guanajuato. Unión de Curtidores was founded in 1928. In its early years, it was the main team in León. When Club León was formed, part of Unión de Curtidores merged with another team.
Today, the main rivalry is against Irapuato. This rivalry is called the "Clásico del Bajio." These teams have played against each other in both the top league and lower divisions.
Another rivalry is with Pachuca C.F.. This is mainly because both clubs have similar owners. In 2018, Club León and Pachuca played a friendly match in Milwaukee, USA. Pachuca won the game 3–1. Even so, since León returned to the first division, they have won more games and reached more finals than Pachuca.
Honours (Trophies)
Club León has won many important titles. Here are some of their main achievements:
Domestic Titles (Mexico)
- Primera División / Liga MX
- Champions (8): 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1991–92, Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, Guardianes 2020
- Runners-up (7): 1946–47, 1958–59, 1972–73, 1974–75, Invierno 1997, Clausura 2019, Apertura 2021
- Ascenso MX (Second Division)
- Champions (5): 1989–90, Verano 2003, Clausura 2004, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2012
- Runners-up (3): Clausura 2005, Clausura 2007, Bicentenario 2010
- Copa México / Copa MX (Mexican Cup)
- Champions (5): 1948–49, 1957–58, 1966–67, 1970–71, 1971–72
- Runners-up (5): 1952–53, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1965–66, Apertura 2015
- Campeón de Campeones (Champions of Champions)
- Champions (5): 1948, 1949, 1956, 1971, 1972
- Runners-up (5): 1952, 1958, 1967, 1992, 2021
International Titles
- CONCACAF Champions Cup (North, Central America, and Caribbean)
- Champions (1): 2023
- Runners-up (1): 1993
- Leagues Cup (Mexico vs. USA/Canada)
- Champions (1): 2021
Friendly Tournaments
- Copa León
- Champions (2): 2004, 2012
- Torneo Cuna del Fútbol Mexicano
- Champions (1): 2012
- Copa Telcel
- Champions (1): 2013
- Trofeu Joan Gamper
- Runners-up (1): 2014
Club Staff and Players
Management
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Jesús Martínez Murguia |
| Director of football | Rodrigo Fernández |
| Director of academy | Javier Santamaría |
| Secretary | Ángel Meza |
Source: Liga MX
- As of 28 November 2022
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Eduardo Berizzo |
| Assistant managers | Sebastián Rambert |
| Ernesto Marcucci |
|
 Sebastián Maz |
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| Goalkeeper coach | Roberto Bonano |
| Fitness coaches | Fernando Morelli |
| Mario Avendaño |
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| Physiotherapists | Víctor Vera |
| José Limón |
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| Team doctor | Valentín Villa |
Current Players
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Players on Loan
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Top Goal Scorers
Here are some of the top goal scorers in Club León's history:
| N° | Name | Season | LEAGUE | 2ND DIV | CUP | CDC | CON | LIB | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adalberto López |
1946 - 50 (5) | 126 | - | 9 | 1 | - | - | 136 |
| 2 | Mauro Boselli |
2013 - 18 (5) | 105 | - | 20 | - | 1 | 4 | 130 |
| 3 | Marcos Aurelio |
1944 - 48/ 1951 - 56 (6) | 98 | - | 10 | - | - | - | 108 |
| 4 | Roberto Salomone |
1971 - 77 (6) | 95 | - | 9 | - | - | - | 104 |
| 5 | Luis Estrada |
1965 - 73 / 1978 - 79 (9) | 90 | - | 11 | 1 | - | - | 102 |
| 6 |  Tita |
1990 - 94/ 1995 - 97 (6) | 88 | - | 2 | - | 7 | - | 97 |
| 7 | Oswaldo Martinolli |
1955 - 61 (5) | 74 | - | 15 | 2 | - | - | 91 |
| 8 |  Ángel Mena |
2019 - Act. (4) | 67 | - | 2 | - | 7 | - | 76 |
| 9 | Sergio Anaya |
1966 - 72 (7) | 53 | - | 7 | - | - | - | 60 |
| 10 | Alberto Etcheverry |
1958 - 61 (3) | 37 | - | 20 | - | - | - | 57 |
| 11 | Luis Montes |
2011 - 2022 (11) | 47 | 7 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 56 |
| 12 | Luis Luna |
1945 - 1962 (17) | 47 | - | 6 | - | - | - | 53 |
| 13 | Carlos Peña |
2011 - 15 / 2017 (6) | 38 | 6 | 5 | - | - | 3 | 52 |
| 14 | Alberto Jorge |
1976 - 80 (4) | 51 | - | - | - | - | - | 51 |
| 15 | Juan José Valiente |
1970-1972 (2) | 45 | - | - | - | - | - | 45 |
| 16 | Cabinho |
1983 - 85 (2) | 44 | - | - | - | - | - | 44 |
| 17 | Everaldo Begines |
1997 - 00 (3) | 43 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 44 |
| 18 | Hector Carlos Álvarez |
2005/2006-2007 | - | 44 | - | - | - | - | 44 |
| 19 | Elías Hernández |
2013 - 2018/2021 - Act. (5) | 36 | - | 2 | - | 3 | - | 41 |
| 20 | Nelson Sebastián Maz |
2011-2014 | 9 | 27 | - | - | - | 1 | 37 |
| 21 |  Isaac Ayipei |
1992-1995 (3) | 35 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 36 |
| 22 | Luis Nieves |
2006-2012 (6) | 36 | - | - | - | - | - | 36 |
| 23 | Sigifredo Mercado |
1995 - 99 / 2000 - 01 / 2003 (6) | 33 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 35 |
| 24 |  Víctor Dávila |
2020-2023 | 30 | - | - | - | 3 | - | 33 |
| 25 |  Freddy Bareiro |
2007-2008 | - | 30 | - | - | - | - | 30 |
| 26 | Martín Peña |
1990 - 92 / 1995 - 99 / 2001 (7) | 26 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 27 |
| 27 | Bardo Fierros |
2004 - 2007 | - | 27 | - | - | - | - | 27 |
| 28 | Mauricio Romero |
2007 - 2008 | - | 26 | - | - | - | - | 26 |
| 29 | Missael Espinoza |
1997-1998 / 1999-2002 (4) | 23 | - | - | - | - | - | 23 |
- Bold: Current players on the club.
- LEAGUE=First category league, 2ND DIV=Second category leagues, CUP=Copa Mexico, CDC=Campeon de Campeones Cup, CON=CONCAFAC Champions Cup, LIB=Libertadores Cup
- In case of tie, they are ordered by chronological order (oldest goes first).
Managers of Club León
Antonio López Herranz (1951–52), (1955–56), (1957–58)- Luis Grill Prieto (1966–67), (1970)
- Antonio Carbajal (1969–70), (1970–72)
Árpád Fekete (1981)- Juan Ricardo Faccio (1982)
- Árpád Fekete (1983–85)
- Pedro García Barros (1987–88)
- Víctor Manuel Vucetich (1989–1993)
- Sebastiao Lazaroni (1993–94)
- Roberto Saporiti (1994)
- Carlos Miloc (1995–1996)
- José Luis Saldívar (1996)
- Carlos Reinoso (1997)
- Aníbal Ruiz (1997–98)
- Alberto Guerra (1998)
- Carlos Reinoso (1999–00)
- José Luis Saldívar (2000)
- Enrique López Zarza (March 27, 2001 – April 16, 2001)
- Pablo Centrone (2001–03)
- Efraín Flores (2002)
- Carlos Reinoso (2003)
- José Luis Saldívar (2005)
- Sergio Bueno (January 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008)
- Mario García (July 1, 2008 – October 13, 2008)
- Luis Scatolaro (May 28, 2009 – June 4, 2009)
- Salvador Reyes (July 1, 2009 – October 24, 2009)
- José Luis Salgado (January 1, 2010 – July 24, 2010)
- Sergio Orduña (August 7, 2010 – August 22, 2010)
- Pintado (September 10, 2010 – December 31, 2010)
- Tita (January 1, 2011 – September 14, 2011)
- Pedro Muñoz (September 15, 2011 – December 31, 2011)
- Gustavo Matosas (January 1, 2012 – November 24, 2014)
Juan Antonio Pizzi (November 24, 2014 – January 28, 2016)- Luis Fernando Tena (February 2016 – August 2016)
- Javier Torrente (August 2016 – August 2017)
- Gustavo Díaz (September 2017 – September 2018)
- Ignacio Ambríz (September 2018 – May 2021)
- Ariel Holan (May 2021 – April 2022)
Renato Paiva (May 2022 – November 2022)- Nicolás Larcamón (November 2022 – December 2023)
- Jorge Bava (December 2023 – September 2024)
- Eduardo Berizzo (September 2024 – Present)
See also
In Spanish: Club León para niños
