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León
Club León FC.svg
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)
Founded August 20, 1944; 80 years ago (1944-08-20), as Unión-León
Ground Estadio León
Ground Capacity 27,423
Owner Grupo Pachuca
Chairman Jesús Martínez Murguia
Manager Eduardo Berizzo
League Liga MX
Clausura 2025 Regular phase: 6th
Final phase: Quarterfinals

Club León is a professional football team from León, Mexico. They play in Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico. The club started in 1944 as Unión-León. This happened when two teams, Unión de Curtidores and Selección de Guanajuato, joined together.

León has won the Mexican League title eight times. Their wins were in 1948, 1949, 1952, 1956, 1992, and then more recently in 2013 (Apertura), 2014 (Clausura), and 2020 (Guardianes). 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 did well in international competitions. They were runners-up in the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 1993. Later, they won the CONCACAF Champions League in 2023, beating Los Angeles FC.

In 2002, León was moved down to a lower league, the Liga de Ascenso. They worked hard to get back to the top division. They finally earned promotion in 2012. After returning, they quickly won the Liga MX title in 2013 and then again in 2014. Winning two championships in a row earned them the nickname "bicampeones."

Club León's Journey

Club León was formed when Unión de Curtidores and Selección de Guanajuato came together. With the money they raised, the team hired many talented players. These included Marcial Ortiz, Raul Varela, and Alfonso Montemayor.

The team played its first game on August 20, 1944. They played against Atlante at Patria Stadium and lost 5–3. In the 1945–46 season, another team, San Sebastián de León, also started in the city.

Early Success

In the 1946–47 season, a great player named Adalberto Lopez joined the team. He scored 33 goals that season. The team had a fantastic run, winning fourteen games in a row. They finished as runners-up in the league.

In 1948–49, Club León made history. They beat Asturias 2–0. This win helped them avoid a tie with Atlas and Guadalajara. León then became the first team to win the "campeonísimo" cup. They achieved this by defeating Atlante 3–0 on August 14, 1949.

Winning More Titles

In the 1951–52 season, Antonio López Herranz became the coach. Famous players like Antonio Carbajal joined the team. León won the league title again that season.

The 1955–56 season was also very successful. León had an amazing streak of 12 wins and 7 draws. They won the final game against Oro 4–2. This secured another league title for the club.

Ups and Downs

Through the 1960s, León often finished in the top half of the league. They were usually around fifth or seventh place. In the 1970s, the team continued to compete strongly.

In 1986–87, Club León faced a tough time. They were moved down to the second division. However, they worked hard to return to the top league. They finally came back to the first division on May 10, 2012.

Return to the Top

After returning to the top league, Club León quickly found success. They won the Apertura 2013 and Clausura 2014 tournaments. This made them the first team in Mexican history to win two consecutive championships twice! They had done it before in 1947–48 and 1948–49.

In 2018, Ignacio Ambríz became the manager. Under his leadership, León set new records in 2019. They had the most consecutive wins (eleven) and the most points (41) in the 17-match tournament format.

On December 13, 2020, León won another league title. They defeated Club Universidad Nacional 3–1 in the final. This was their eighth title, making them one of Mexico's most successful teams.

Recently, in March 2025, Club León was not allowed to play in the upcoming 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. This was because of rules about clubs having the same owners, as Grupo Pachuca owns both León and C.F. Pachuca.

León Stadium

EstadioLeon Noche
Night view of the León Stadium.

The Estadio León is the home stadium for Club León. It is also sometimes called "Nou Camp." The stadium is in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Construction of the stadium began in August 1965 and finished by the end of 1966. The first game played there was on February 1, 1967. Santos played against River Plate, and Santos won 2–1.

The Estadio León has hosted two FIFA World Cups. It was a venue for the 1970 FIFA World Cup and the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Many famous teams and players have played there.

In 2018, Grupo Pachuca announced plans for a new stadium, the Nuevo Estadio León. It was planned to hold 35,000 fans. However, in September 2023, the new stadium project was canceled. Instead, the Estadio León will be renovated.

Team Rivalries

Club León has a few important rivalries.

The oldest rivalry is with Unión de Curtidores. This started because both teams are from León, Guanajuato. Unión de Curtidores was a strong team in León before Club León was formed.

Today, the main rivalry is against Irapuato. Their matches are called the "Clásico del Bajio." These games have been played in both the top and lower divisions of Mexican football.

Another rivalry is with Pachuca C.F.. This rivalry is special because both clubs have the same owners, Grupo Pachuca. They even played a friendly match in Milwaukee, USA, in 2018.

Club Achievements

Club León has won many titles throughout its history.

National Titles

Club León honours
Type Competition Titles Winning editions Runners-up
Flag of Mexico.svg
Top division
Liga Mayor/Primera División/Liga MX 8 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1991–92, Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, Guardianes 2020 1946–47, 1958–59, 1972–73, 1974–75, Invierno 1997, Clausura 2019, Apertura 2021
Copa México/Copa Presidente/Copa MX 5 1948–49, 1957–58, 1966–67, 1970–71, 1971–72 1952–53, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1965–66, Apertura 2015
Campeón de Campeones 5 1948, 1949, 1956, 1971, 1972 1952, 1958, 1967, 2021
Promotion divisions Primera División A/Liga de Ascenso 4s Verano 2003, Clausura 2004, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2012 Clausura 2005, Clausura 2007, Bicentenario 2010
Campeón de Ascenso 1 2012 2003, 2004, 2008
Segunda División 1 1989–90 1987–88

International Titles

Type Competition Titles Winning editions Runners-up
Concacaf logo.svg
Continental CONCACAF
CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League 1 2023 1993

Regional Titles

Type Competition Titles Winning editions Runners-up
Flag of the United States.svg Flag of Canada.svg Flag of Mexico.svg North America MLS
Liga MX
Leagues Cup 1s 2021
Notes
  •      record
  • s shared record

Friendly Competitions

Club León has also won several friendly tournaments:

  • Torneo Triangular del Bajío: 1957
  • Torneo Triangular Renovación: 1974
  • Copa Bajío: 2000
  • Copa León: 2004, 2012
  • Copa Campeón de Campeones: 2012
  • Copa Pachuca: 2012
  • Copa Telcel: 2013
  • Copa Feria de León: 2016
  • Copa Guanajuato 200 Años: 2024

Team Staff

Management

Position Staff
Chairman Mexico Jesús Martínez Murguia
Director of football Mexico Rodrigo Fernández
Director of academy Mexico Javier Santamaría
Secretary Mexico Ángel Meza

Source: Liga MX

As of 28 November 2022

Coaching Staff

Position Staff
Manager Argentina Eduardo Berizzo
Assistant managers Argentina Sebastián Rambert
Argentina Ernesto Marcucci
Goalkeeper coach Argentina Roberto Bonano
Fitness coach Argentina Fernando Morelli
Physiotherapist Mexico Víctor Quezada
Team doctor Mexico Valentín Villa

Players

First-Team Squad

No. Position Player
1 Mexico GK Alfonso Blanco
2 Uruguay DF Valentín Gauthier
3 Mexico DF Paolo Medina
4 Uruguay MF Nicolás Fonseca
6 Mexico MF Fernando Beltrán
7 Mexico DF Iván Moreno
8 Argentina MF Emiliano Rigoni
10 Colombia MF James Rodríguez
12 Mexico GK Óscar Jiménez (on loan from América)
14 Mexico FW Ettson Ayón
15 Mexico DF Óscar Villa
17 Mexico MF Gael García (on loan from Guadalajara)
20 Chile DF Rodrigo Echeverría
No. Position Player
21 Colombia DF Jaine Barreiro
22 Argentina DF Adonis Frías
23 Mexico GK Óscar García
24 Mexico MF Carlos Cisneros
25 Mexico DF Paul Bellón
26 Mexico DF Salvador Reyes
27 Mexico MF Ángel Estrada
28 Mexico MF David Ramírez
31 Mexico MF Sebastián Santos
32 Mexico DF Luis Cervantes
33 Mexico MF Héctor Uribe
34 Mexico DF Víctor Barajas
Mexico MF Emilio Rodríguez (on loan from Pachuca)

Other Players Under Contract

No. Position Player
Mexico DF Diego Luna

Players Out on Loan

No. Position Player
Mexico GK Rodolfo Cota (at América)
Ecuador DF Byron Castillo (at Barcelona de Guayaquil)
Mexico MF Sebastián Fierro (at Mazatlán)
Mexico MF Andrés Gallo (at Racing de Veracruz)
No. Position Player
Colombia MF Edgar Guerra (at Puebla)
Uruguay MF Alan Medina (at Everton)
Mexico MF José Iván Rodríguez (at Necaxa)
Uruguay FW Federico Viñas (at Oviedo)

Reserve Teams

  • León GEN: This is the reserve team that plays in the Liga TDP. It is the fourth level of the Mexican league system.

Top Goal Scorers

Name Season LEAGUE 2ND DIV CUP CDC CON LIB Total
1 Mexico Adalberto López 1946 - 50 (5) 126 - 9 1 - - 136
2 Argentina Mexico Mauro Boselli 2013 - 18 (5) 105 - 20 - 1 4 130
3 Argentina Mexico Marcos Aurelio 1944 - 48/ 1951 - 56 (6) 98 - 10 - - - 108
4 Argentina Roberto Salomone 1971 - 77 (6) 95 - 9 - - - 104
5 Mexico Luis Estrada 1965 - 73 / 1978 - 79 (9) 90 - 11 1 - - 102
6 Brazil Tita 1990 - 94/ 1995 - 97 (6) 88 - 2 - 7 - 97
7 Argentina Oswaldo Martinolli 1955 - 61 (5) 74 - 15 2 - - 91
8 Ecuador Ángel Mena 2019 - Act. (4) 67 - 2 - 7 - 76
9 Mexico Sergio Anaya 1966 - 72 (7) 53 - 7 - - - 60
10 Argentina Alberto Etcheverry 1958 - 61 (3) 37 - 20 - - - 57
11 Mexico Luis Montes 2011 - 2022 (11) 47 7 1 - - 1 56
12 Mexico Luis Luna 1945 - 1962 (17) 47 - 6 - - - 53
13 Mexico Carlos Peña 2011 - 15 / 2017 (6) 38 6 5 - - 3 52
14 Argentina Alberto Jorge 1976 - 80 (4) 51 - - - - - 51
15 Argentina Juan José Valiente 1970-1972 (2) 45 - - - - - 45
16 Brazil Cabinho 1983 - 85 (2) 44 - - - - - 44
17 Mexico Everaldo Begines 1997 - 00 (3) 43 - - - 1 - 44
18 Argentina Hector Carlos Álvarez 2005/2006-2007 - 44 - - - - 44
19 Mexico Elías Hernández 2013 - 2018/2021 - Act. (5) 36 - 2 - 3 - 41
20 UruguayNelson Sebastián Maz 2011-2014 9 27 - - - 1 37
21 Ghana Isaac Ayipei 1992-1995 (3) 35 - - - 1 - 36
22 Mexico Luis Nieves 2006-2012 (6) 36 - - - - - 36
23 Mexico Sigifredo Mercado 1995 - 99 / 2000 - 01 / 2003 (6) 33 - 1 - 1 - 35
24 Chile Víctor Dávila 2020-2023 30 - - - 3 - 33
25 Paraguay Fredy Bareiro 2007-2008 - 30 - - - - 30
26 Mexico Martín Peña 1990 - 92 / 1995 - 99 / 2001 (7) 26 - 1 - - - 27
27 Mexico Bardo Fierros 2004 - 2007 - 27 - - - - 27
28 Mexico Mauricio Romero 2007 - 2008 - 26 - - - - 26
29 Mexico 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

  • Spain Antonio López Herranz (1951–52), (1955–56), (1957–58)
  • Chile Luis Grill Prieto (1966–67), (1970)
  • Mexico Antonio Carbajal (1969–70), (1970–72)
  • Hungary Árpád Fekete (1981)
  • Uruguay Juan Ricardo Faccio (1982)
  • Hungary Árpád Fekete (1983–85)
  • Chile Pedro García Barros (1987–88)
  • Mexico Víctor Manuel Vucetich (1989–1993)
  • Brazil Sebastiao Lazaroni (1993–94)
  • Argentina Roberto Saporiti (1994)
  • Uruguay Carlos Miloc (1995–1996)
  • Mexico José Luis Saldívar (1996)
  • Chile Carlos Reinoso (1997)
  • Uruguay Aníbal Ruiz (1997–98)
  • Mexico Alberto Guerra (1998)
  • Chile Carlos Reinoso (1999–00)
  • Mexico José Luis Saldívar (2000)
  • Mexico Enrique López Zarza (March 27, 2001 – April 16, 2001)
  • Argentina Pablo Centrone (2001–03)
  • Mexico Efraín Flores (2002)
  • Chile Carlos Reinoso (2003)
  • Mexico José Luis Saldívar (2005)
  • Mexico Sergio Bueno (January 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008)
  • Mexico Mario García (July 1, 2008 – October 13, 2008)
  • Argentina Luis Scatolaro (May 28, 2009 – June 4, 2009)
  • Mexico Salvador Reyes (July 1, 2009 – October 24, 2009)
  • Mexico José Luis Salgado (January 1, 2010 – July 24, 2010)
  • Mexico Sergio Orduña (August 7, 2010 – August 22, 2010)
  • Brazil Pintado (September 10, 2010 – December 31, 2010)
  • Brazil Tita (January 1, 2011 – September 14, 2011)
  • Mexico Pedro Muñoz (September 15, 2011 – December 31, 2011)
  • Uruguay Gustavo Matosas (January 1, 2012 – November 24, 2014)
  • Spain Juan Antonio Pizzi (November 24, 2014 – January 28, 2016)
  • Mexico Luis Fernando Tena (February 2016 – August 2016)
  • Argentina Javier Torrente (August 2016 – August 2017)
  • Uruguay Gustavo Díaz (September 2017 – September 2018)
  • Mexico Ignacio Ambríz (September 2018 – May 2021)
  • Argentina Ariel Holan (May 2021 – April 2022)
  • Portugal Renato Paiva (May 2022 – November 2022)
  • Argentina Nicolás Larcamón (November 2022 – December 2023)
  • Uruguay Jorge Bava (December 2023 – September 2024)
  • Argentina Eduardo Berizzo (September 2024 – present)

See also

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