Club León facts for kids

This page is about the men's football club. For the women's football club, see Club León (women).

Quick facts for kids
León

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, as Unión-León

Ground

Estadio León

Capacity

27,423

Owner

Grupo Pachuca

Chairman

Jesús Martínez Murguia

Manager

Eduardo Berizzo

League

Liga MX

Clausura 2025

Regular phase: 6th
Final phase: Quarterfinals

Home colours

Away colours

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

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
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	4^s	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
Continental CONCACAF	CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League	1	2023	1993

Regional Titles

Type	Competition	Titles	Winning editions	Runners-up
North America MLS Liga MX	Leagues Cup	1^s	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	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
Assistant managers	Ernesto Marcucci
Goalkeeper coach	Roberto Bonano
Fitness coach	Fernando Morelli
Physiotherapist	Víctor Quezada
Team doctor	Valentín Villa

Players

First-Team Squad

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Alfonso Blanco
2	DF	Valentín Gauthier
3	DF	Paolo Medina
4	MF	Nicolás Fonseca
6	MF	Fernando Beltrán
7	DF	Iván Moreno
8	MF	Emiliano Rigoni
10	MF	James Rodríguez
12	GK	Óscar Jiménez (on loan from América)
14	FW	Ettson Ayón
15	DF	Óscar Villa
17	MF	Gael García (on loan from Guadalajara)
20	DF	Rodrigo Echeverría

No.	Position	Player
21	DF	Jaine Barreiro
22	DF	Adonis Frías
23	GK	Óscar García
24	MF	Carlos Cisneros
25	DF	Paul Bellón
26	DF	Salvador Reyes
27	MF	Ángel Estrada
28	MF	David Ramírez
31	MF	Sebastián Santos
32	DF	Luis Cervantes
33	MF	Héctor Uribe
34	DF	Víctor Barajas
	MF	Emilio Rodríguez (on loan from Pachuca)

Other Players Under Contract

No.		Position	Player
		DF	Diego Luna

Players Out on Loan

No.		Position	Player
		GK	Rodolfo Cota (at América)
		DF	Byron Castillo (at Barcelona de Guayaquil)
		MF	Sebastián Fierro (at Mazatlán)
		MF	Andrés Gallo (at Racing de Veracruz)

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Edgar Guerra (at Puebla)
		MF	Alan Medina (at Everton)
		MF	José Iván Rodríguez (at Necaxa)
		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

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	Fredy 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

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)