Club Necaxa facts for kids
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| Full name | Impulsora del Deportivo Necaxa S.A. de C.V. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Los Rayos (The Lightning) Los Electricistas (The Electricians) Los Once Hermanos (The Eleven Brothers) |
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| Founded | 21 August 1923 | |||
| Ground | Estadio Victoria | |||
| Capacity | 23,000 | |||
| Owner | NX Football USA LLC (50%) Ernesto Tinajero Flores (50%) |
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| Chairman | Ernesto Tinajero Flores | |||
| Manager | Luis Padilla (Interim) | |||
| League | Liga MX | |||
| Clausura 2024 | Regular phase: 9th Final phase: Play-in round |
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Club Necaxa is a professional football team from Aguascalientes, Mexico. They play in Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico. The club was started on August 21, 1923, in Mexico City by William H. Fraser. In 2003, the team moved its home to Aguascalientes. Their home stadium is called Estadio Victoria.
Necaxa has won many titles, including three league championships and four Mexico Cups. They were the first team in Mexico to win both the league and the cup in the same season (1932-33). This earned them the nickname "Campeonísimo," meaning "Champion of Champions." On the international stage, Necaxa finished third in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil. They are also ranked as the 7th best club in North and Central America for the 20th century by football historians.
Contents
Club History
How Necaxa Started (1923–1940)
Club Necaxa was founded on August 21, 1923, by a Scottish engineer named William H. Fraser. He owned the Light and Power Company in Puebla, Mexico. Fraser loved football and combined his company's team with the Street Car operators' team.
Fraser used company money to support the new team. He also gave players steady jobs, which was a big deal because many players were amateurs back then. The Mexican football federation didn't allow teams to be named after private companies. So, the team was named Necaxa, after the Necaxa River near the power plant.
Historians believe the team's red and white colors and crest came from the Cornish community in Mexico. This community had a strong influence on the local culture, including football. From the start, Necaxa welcomed players of all backgrounds.
In those early days, the team was known as "Los Electricistas" (The Electricians). Their red and white colors also gave them the nickname "Los roji-blancos." This period also saw the start of a big rivalry between Necaxa and Atlante F.C..
On September 14, 1930, Necaxa opened its own stadium, Parque Necaxa. It could hold 15,000 fans and had a famous clock tower with the team's emblem. Necaxa became a strong team in the amateur league, winning championships in 1932–33, 1934–35, 1936–37, and 1937–38.
Players like Hilario López and Luis Pérez helped the team succeed. In one famous game, Necaxa beat Atlante 9–0. The team was very popular and, under coach Ernst Pauler, won many titles, including the Central American Championship in El Salvador in 1935.
The "Eleven Brothers" Era (Late 1930s)
After the Mexican Revolution, the late 1930s were a golden age for Necaxa. Their team was made up entirely of Mexican players. They were known as the "Once Hermanos" or "Eleven Brothers" because they worked so well together. In 1936, this team won the Copa México.
A talented player named Horacio Casarín became very popular during this time. Even though he wasn't one of the original "Eleven Brothers," he was a star in Mexican football. His fame even led him to appear in Mexican movies!
A Short Break and Return (1940s-1960s)
Necaxa stopped playing in the Mexican League in 1943. This happened because Mexican football became professional, and the team faced financial challenges. It took five years for the Necaxa team to return to the field.
Seven years later, in 1950, Club Necaxa came back. New owners, the Union of Electricians and Juan Jose Rivas Rojas, helped the team. They played their first game back in Guadalajara. Necaxa later played in Mexico City's Estadio Azul and then in the huge Estadio Azteca. The first night game at Estadio Azteca was played between Valencia CF and Necaxa in 1966.
In the 1950s, Necaxa had money problems. In 1955, they had to sell many of their best players. A new owner, Miguel Ramierz Vazquez, hired coach Donald Ross, who helped the team become more stable. The team won the Cup in 1960. The next year, they famously beat the Brazilian team Santos, led by the legendary Pelé, 4–3 in a tournament.
By the early 1960s, Necaxa was still struggling financially. New owners, led by Julio Orvañanos, took over and helped the team win a championship in 1965–66.
Changes and Challenges (1970s-1980s)
In 1969, some Necaxa players, led by Carlos Albert, asked for better pay and rights. This led to a disagreement with the team's management. The courts eventually ruled in favor of Carlos Albert in 1971. This case helped other players ask for better treatment in Mexican football.
On September 19, 1971, Club Necaxa had serious money problems. The owners sold the club to a group of Spanish businessmen. The new owners changed the team's name to "Toros del Atlético Español" (Spanish Athletic Bulls).
Under this new name, the club won its only international title, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, in 1975. They beat Transvaal of Suriname 5–1. In 1973–74, they reached the league final but lost to Cruz Azul. Famous players during this time included Carlos Eloir Perucci and Tomás Boy.
In 1982, a new group of Mexican businessmen bought the team. They were led by the telecommunications company Grupo Televisa. They brought back the original name, Necaxa, because of its important history in Mexican football. Even though Mexico faced economic problems in the 1980s, Necaxa fought hard to stay in the top league.
Return to Glory (1990–2000)
In 1988, the Mexican company Grupo Televisa bought Club Necaxa. The new owners wanted to take the team in a new direction.
In 1989, the team brought in Ecuadorian midfielder Álex Aguinaga. He became one of Necaxa's most famous players in the 1990s. Necaxa had a great season in 1989-90, reaching the finals but losing to Pumas.
New coaches helped the team improve. When Manuel Lapuente became coach, he led Club Necaxa to three Mexican League championships. Key players like Sergio "El Ratón" Zarate and Eduardo "Lalo" Vilches were important for the team's success.
After 56 years, Necaxa once again earned the title of "Campeonísimo." They won the Mexican League Championship in 1994, 1995, and 1998. They also won the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 1999. In the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship, they surprised everyone by beating European giant Real Madrid CF to finish in third place. This era reminded fans of the "Eleven Brothers" spirit from the 1930s.
New Home and Challenges (2000–Present)
After 2000, fewer people were coming to Necaxa's games. So, the team decided to move to Aguascalientes and play in the new Estadio Victoria. This stadium was considered one of the most modern in Mexico.
However, even with the new city and stadium, attendance kept dropping. This led to Necaxa being moved down to a lower league in 2009. But the team fought back! They won the lower league titles in 2009 and 2010, earning their way back to Liga MX.
Necaxa returned to the top league in 2010–11 but was moved down again after just one year. They kept trying to get back to the top, losing two finals in the second division in 2013.
In 2014, Necaxa won the Apertura 2014 championship. Then, in 2016, they won the Clausura 2016 championship. This meant they played a special playoff series to return to Liga MX. Necaxa won both games against Cd. Juarez, finally returning to the top division after five years!
New Owners and Future (2021–Present)
In 2021, Necaxa gained a new ownership partner called NX Football USA, LLC. This group includes people who used to own the Major League Soccer club D.C. United, managers from the Welsh club Swansea City, and even some famous celebrities! These celebrities include actress Eva Longoria, former football player Mesut Özil, former NBA basketball player Shawn Marion, MLB baseball player Justin Verlander, and his wife, model Kate Upton.
In April 2024, Necaxa's owners bought a small part of Wrexham AFC, a football club in Wales. In return, Wrexham's owners, actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, bought a small part of Necaxa. This is a cool connection between the two clubs!
On July 9, 2024, a TV series about Necaxa was announced. It will be similar to the popular show "Welcome to Wrexham" and will show what it's like behind the scenes at the club.
Kit Evolution
First kit evolution
      1922–1923
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Second 1922–23
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1922–23
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   1923–71
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   1971–81
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1973–75
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1972
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1990–present kit evolution
     1992
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  1994
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   1995
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 1996
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 1999
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 2005
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   2011
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Club Achievements
National Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning seasons | Runners-up | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top division |
Primera División de México/Liga MX | 3 | 1994–95, 1995–96, Invierno 1998 | 3 | Invierno 1996, Verano 1998, Verano 2002 |
| Copa México/Copa MX | 4 | 1959–60, 1965–66, 1994–95, Clausura 2018 | 1 | Clausura 2016 | |
| Campeón de Campeones | 2 | 1966, 1995 | 1 | 1960 | |
| Supercopa MX | 1 | 2018 | 1 | 2019 | |
| Promotion divisions | Ascenso MX | 4 | Apertura 2009, Bicentenario 2010, Apertura 2014, Clausura 2016 | 2 | Apertura 2012, Clausura 2013 |
| Campeón de Ascenso | 2 | 2009–10, 2015–16 | 1 | 2014–15 |
International Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning seasons | Runners-up | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 CONCACAF Continental |
CONCACAF Champions Cup | 1 | 1999 | 1 | 1996 |
| CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup | 1 | 1994 | 0 | – |
Amateur Titles
- Campeonato de Primera Fuerza/Liga Mayor (4): 1932–33, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1937–38
- Copa México (2): 1932–33, 1935–36
- Copa Eliminatoria (2): 1924–25, 1925–26
Friendly Titles
- Cuadrangular Ciudad de México (1): 1956
- Torneo Jarrito de Oro (2): 1961, 1963
- Copa de la Amistad Cavall (1): 2016
- Copa Aras (1): 2021
Club Personnel
Management Team
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Ernesto Tinajero Flores |
| General Director | Santiago Tinajero |
| Director of football | José Hanan Menendez |
| Coordinator of football | Alberto Clark |
| Director of academy | José María Padilla |
Source: Liga MX
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Luis Padilla (Interim) |
| Assistant manager | Édgar Hernández |
| Goalkeeper coach | Ángel Maldonado |
| Fitness coaches | Juan Lozano |
| Abel Gutiérrez |
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| Physiotherapist | Manuel Briz |
| Team doctor | Franco Vázquez |
Players
First-Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Reserve Teams
- Necaxa (Liga TDP)
- This is a reserve team that plays in the Liga TDP. It is the fourth level of the Mexican league system.
Historical Championship Teams
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1994–95 Champions
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1995–96 Champions
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Winter 98
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Top Scorers
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Historical Amateur Leading Scorers
- 1926–27
Miguel Ruiz (13 Goals) - 1931–32
Julio Lores (20 Goals) - 1932–33 Julio Lores (8 Goals)
- 1934–35
Hilario López (17 Goals) - 1936–37 Julio Lores (7 Goals)
Historical Leading Season Scorers
- 1950–51 Horacio Casarín (17 Goals)
- 1952–53
Tulio Quiñones (14 Goals) - 1953–54
Julio María Palleiro (21 Goals) - 1954–55 Julio María Palleiro (19 Goals)
- 1983–84
Norberto Outes (28 Goals) - 1992–93
Ivo Basay (27 Goals) - Verano 2000
Agustín Delgado (14 Goals) - Apertura 2012 Víctor Lojero (11 Goals)
- Clausura 2013 Víctor Lojero (12 Goals)
- Apertura 2019 Mauro Quiroga (12 Goals)
- Clausura 2024
Diber Cambindo (8 Goals)
All-Time Leading Scorers
| Player | Goals | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Ricardo Peláez | 138 | |
| Ivo Basay | 101 | |
| Víctor Lojero | 86 | |
| Álex Aguinaga | 82 |  |
| Alberto García Aspe | 65 | |
| Julio Maria Palleiro | 64 | |
Managers
This is a list of managers who have led Club Necaxa in short tournaments:
| Name | Tournament | Games Led | Games Won | Tied Games | Games Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrique Díaz | 1982 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Walter Ormeño | 1982–84 | 60 | 14 | 27 | 19 |
| José Antonio Roca | 1984–85 | 38 | 5 | 15 | 18 |
| Mario Pérez | 1986–87 | 40 | 7 | 24 | 9 |
| Cayetano Ré | 1987–88 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 |
| Aníbal Ruiz | 1988–90 | 70 | 24 | 28 | 18 |
| Eduardo Luján Manera | 1990–91 | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 |
| Roberto Saporiti | 1991–94 | 121 | 52 | 39 | 30 |
| Manuel Lapuente | 1994–95 – Inverno 97 | 61 | 26 | 15 | 20 |
| Raul Arias | Verano 98 – Clausura 2005 | 297 | 120 | 76 | 101 |
| Enrique López Zarza | Apertura 2005 – Apertura 2006 | 45 | 16 | 10 | 19 |
| Pablo Luna | Apertura 2006 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Hugo Sanchez | Apertura 2006 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Jose Luis Trejo | Clausura 2007 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| Hans Westerhof | Apertura 2007 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Salvador Reyes | Clausura 2008 – Apertura 2008 | 33 | 6 | 18 | 9 |
| Octavio Becerril | Apertura 2008 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Raul Arias | Clausura 2009 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| Omar Arellano Nuño | Apertura 2009 – Bicentenario 2010 | 44 | 22 | 17 | 5 |
| Daniel Brailovsky | Apertura 2010 – Clausura 2011 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| Sergio Bueno | Clausura 2011 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Paco Ramírez | Apertura 2011 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Luis Francisco García Llamas | Apertura 2011 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tita | Clausura 2012 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Jaime Ordiales | Apertura 2012 – Apertura 2013 | 28 | 14 | 10 | 4 |
| Armando González | Apertura 2013 – Clausura 2014 | 38 | 18 | 12 | 8 |
| Miguel de Jesús Fuentes | Apertura 2014 – 2015 | 36 | 15 | 9 | 12 |
| Alfonso Sosa | 2015–2017 | 38 | 19 | 13 | 6 |
| Ignacio Ambríz | 2017–2018 | 47 | 18 | 18 | 11 |
| Marcelo Michel Leaño | 2018 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| Guillermo Vázquez | 2018–2019 | 50 | 21 | 11 | 18 |
| Alfonso Sosa | 2020 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| José Guadalupe Cruz | 2020–2021 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 9 |
| Pablo Guede | 2021–2022 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Jaime Lozano | 2022 | 32 | 11 | 7 | 14 |
| Andrés Lillini | 2023 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| Rafael Dudamel | 2023 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Eduardo Fentanes | 2023–2024 | 44 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
Images for kids
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Club Necaxa Logo
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Interior of Victoria Stadium.
See also
In Spanish: Club Necaxa para niños
