Club Puebla facts for kids
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| Full name | Club Puebla | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Los Camoteros (The Sweet Potatoers) La Franja (The Strip Band) |
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| Short name | PUE | |||
| Founded | May 7, 1944, as Puebla Fútbol Club | |||
| Ground | Estadio Cuauhtémoc | |||
| Capacity | 51,726 | |||
| Owner | Operadora de Escenarios Deportivos S.A. de C.V. | |||
| Chairman | Manuel Jiménez García | |||
| Manager | Pablo Guede | |||
| League | Liga MX | |||
| Clausura 2025 | Regular phase: 17th Final phase: Did not qualify |
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Club Puebla is a professional football team from Puebla, Mexico. They play in Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico. The club started in 1944 as Puebla Fútbol Club and changed to its current name in 2016. Their nickname is La Franja, meaning "The Striped Ones". This comes from their unique uniform, which has a diagonal stripe across the chest. This stripe is usually blue on their white home kit.
Puebla has a long history in Mexican football. The city of Puebla had a football team as early as 1904. The current club won its first major trophy, the Copa Mexico, in the 1944–45 season. They won it again in 1953–54. Their first league title came in the 1982–83 season. They beat Guadalajara in a penalty shootout to win. Puebla won another Copa Mexico in 1987–88. In the 1989–90 season, they achieved a special feat. They won both the Copa Mexico and their second league title. This made them one of the "Campeonísimos" teams. In 1991, they won their first CONCACAF championship. This was a big win against Police F.C. from Trinidad and Tobago. In the 1992–93 season, they almost won another league title. However, they lost to Leon in overtime.
The team faced tough times and was moved to the second-tier league (Primera A) in 1999 and again in 2005. But they always fought back! In 2006, they won the Primera A Apertura tournament. Then, in May 2007, Puebla earned promotion back to the top league. They beat Dorados de Sinaloa in an exciting game. The stadium was packed with over 45,000 cheering fans. The city of Puebla celebrated just like they did for the big wins in 1983 and 1990. In 2009, Puebla surprised many by reaching the semi-finals of the top league. They were eliminated by Pumas UNAM, who went on to win the championship.
Contents
- Club History
- Club Crest
- Club Achievements
- Team Rivalries
- Team Records & Statistics
- Team Management
- Players
- Team Managers
- See also
Club History
How it All Started
Football in Puebla began in 1904 with an English club called Puebla AC. This club joined Mexico's first organized football league. Puebla AC was one of the first teams to play organized football in Mexico. In their first tournament in 1904, they struggled. They lost all their games and didn't score any goals. The club stopped playing for a while after 1907.
Later, in 1915, a new club called First Puebla F.C. was formed. This club was started by Spanish people living in Puebla. They played in a local league. In the early 1940s, this club joined with another Spanish-founded club, Club Futbol Asturias de Puebla. These two clubs together formed the basis of what we know today as Club Puebla.
Becoming a Professional Team
On March 28, 1944, Puebla joined the Mexican Primera División, Mexico's top professional league. Their first home stadium was Parque El Mirador. The first official match was on May 7, 1944, in the Copa México tournament. Puebla lost 5–1 to Veracruz. Lupe Velázquez scored Puebla's first goal in that game.
Puebla played its first professional league match on August 20, 1944. They beat Atlas 5–2. Eladio Vaschetto, an Argentinian player, scored Puebla's first goal in the professional league. In their first season (1944–45), Puebla finished second in the league. But they won the Copa México! They beat América 5–3 in a memorable final. Ricardo Alvarez was a top scorer in that cup.
Winning the Copa México in 1945
Puebla had a great 1944–45 season. They were runners-up in the league and champions of the Copa México. In the Copa México, they easily beat Orizaba 6–0 in both games. Arturo Chávez scored 5 goals in those matches. In the quarter-finals, they defeated Atlas 4–0. Arturo Chávez scored all 4 goals. In the semi-finals, Puebla beat Deportivo Oro 3–1 to reach their first final.
The final was on June 25, 1945, against América. Puebla started strong, leading 3–0 by the 26th minute. Eladio Vaschetto scored two goals, and Arturo Chávez scored one. América fought back in the second half, scoring three quick goals. It looked like América might make a comeback. But Puebla showed great character. Miguel López scored for Puebla, making it 5–3. Even though América scored again, Lupe Velázquez scored Puebla's sixth goal, sealing a spectacular 6–4 victory.
Winning the Copa México in 1953
In the 1952–53 season, Puebla won their second Copa México. They beat León in the final. The team added strong players like "Chepe" Naranjo. In the first game, Puebla beat Leon 2–0. In the second game, they won 2–1, making the total score 4–1. So, on May 31, 1953, Puebla was Copa México champion again! The team's coach was Isidro Lángara from Spain.
After 1956, the club faced problems. Their stadium, Parque El Mirador, burned down. This caused the club to stop playing for eight years.
The 1960s: A Return to Football
After many tries, Puebla returned to professional football in 1964. The Mexican federation allowed them to play in the second division. Their first game was a 2–2 draw. Puebla stayed undefeated for 15 games after that. They played in the second division for six years. In 1970, Puebla won a special series of games. This win earned them promotion back to the first division. Gervasio Quiroz scored the winning goal in the final match of that series.
The 1970s: Back in the Top League
Puebla's first game back in the first division was against América. They lost 2–0. Their first win was against Cruz Azul with a score of 2–0. In their first season back, they finished 11th. In the 1973–74 season, Puebla reached the quarter-finals for the first time. They finished 4th overall. However, they lost to Cruz Azul in the quarter-finals.
The team had some tough seasons in the mid-1970s, often trying to avoid being sent back to the second division. But they always managed to stay in the top league. Silvio Fogel was a star player who scored many goals, helping the team through these difficult times.
The 1980s: A Decade of Success
The 1980s brought more success for Club Puebla. In the 1980–81 season, Brazilian player Muricy Ramalho joined the club. He became a very important player.
1982–83 League Title
At the start of the 1982 season, not many people thought Puebla could win the league. But with new coach Manuel Lapuente, who used to play for Puebla, things changed. The team had a strong season, winning 15 games. In the playoffs, they faced three teams from Jalisco.
First, they played UAG. Puebla lost the first game 2–1 but won the second 5–1, moving on. In the semi-finals, they played Universidad de Guadalajara. Puebla lost the first game 1–0 but won the second 4–2, advancing to the final.
In the final, Puebla played Guadalajara. Guadalajara had many players suspended from a previous game. Puebla lost the first game 2–1. The second game was played in a packed Estadio Cuauhtémoc. Alberto Orozco scored a goal that sent the game into overtime and then to a penalty shootout. Luis Enrique Fernández scored the winning penalty. This gave Puebla its first league title!
1988 Copa México Win
In 1988, Emilio Maurer bought the club. He brought in new players and a new coach, Hugo Fernández. Puebla reached the quarter-finals of the league but lost. However, in the 1988 Copa México, they did very well. They beat Toluca and Monterrey to reach the final.
In the final, Puebla played Cruz Azul. The first game was a 1–1 draw. Marcelino Bernal scored for Puebla. The second game ended 0–0. Puebla won the cup because they scored an away goal in the first match. This was their third Copa México title.
The "Campeonísimo" Season: 1989–90
The 1989–90 season was one of Puebla's best ever. Coach Lapuente led the team to a third-place finish in the league. In the quarter-finals, they beat UAT. In the semi-finals, they faced Pumas UNAM. The first game was a thrilling 4–4 draw. Puebla won the second game 4–2 to reach the final.
In the final, Puebla played Universidad de Guadalajara. Puebla won the first game 2–1. The second game was played in a super-packed Estadio Cuauhtémoc. Over 60,000 fans watched Puebla win 4–3. This gave them their second league title!
1990 Copa México Win
Just after winning the league title in 1990, Puebla also won the Copa México. This made them the fourth "Campeonísimo" team in history. Only three other clubs had won both the league and the cup in the same year. In the Copa México final, Puebla played UANL. Tigres won the first game 2–0. But in the second game, played in Puebla, Puebla won 4–1. This meant Puebla won the cup!
The 1989–90 team is remembered as the best Puebla team ever. Key players included Pablo Larios, Arturo Álvarez, Roberto Ruiz Esparza, Marcelino Bernal, Jorge Aravena, Carlos Poblete, and Julio César Romero.
Tough Times and Comebacks
The 1990s brought some challenges. In 1992, Puebla reached the league final again but lost to Leon. The club also faced ownership problems. In 1995, a new owner changed the club's colors to orange, which was not popular. In 1998, the traditional blue colors returned.
In 1999, Puebla was relegated to the second division. However, the club owners bought another team's spot, so Puebla stayed in the top league. This practice was later banned. Puebla was relegated again in 2005.
The 21st Century: Fighting Back
In the early 2000s, Puebla had mixed results. They reached the quarter-finals in 2000 and the semi-finals in 2001. In 2004, they were relegated again.
In the second division (Primera A), Puebla worked hard to return. In 2005, they won the Apertura tournament in Primera A. Then, in 2006, they won the Apertura 2006 tournament in Primera A. This earned them a chance to play for promotion.
On May 26, 2007, Puebla won the promotion game against Dorados de Sinaloa. They won 3–2 in front of a huge crowd at Estadio Cuauhtémoc. This brought them back to the top division after two years away. Key players in this promotion included Orlando Rincón, Sergio Pérez, Luis Miguel Noriega, Álvaro González, and Jorge Damián "El Ruso" Zamogilny.
In 2009, Puebla had a strong season in the top league. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Pumas. In the Apertura 2009 tournament, they reached the quarter-finals again. They had an exciting 4–4 draw against Cruz Azul in the first game. However, they lost the second game and were eliminated.
In 2010, Puebla played in the 2010 InterLiga tournament. They reached the final but lost to Estudiantes Tecos. In the Clausura 2010 league season, Herculez Gomez was a top scorer for Puebla and the league.
Club Crest
Puebla's first crest, used from 1944 to 1971, was simply the city's coat of arms. It showed the Puebla Cathedral surrounded by angels. With this crest, the club won its first two Copa México titles.
In 1972, the club got its first crest designed just for the team. It featured the famous diagonal sash. In 1981, they used a special crest to celebrate the city's 450th anniversary. When they won their first league title in 1982, the crest was a simple blue football with the club's name.
In 1983, the club started using the design that is now traditional. It has the club's name and the diagonal sash inside a blue shield. This crest initially had one star for the 1983 league title. In 1990, a second star was added for their second league title.
In 1995, the new owners changed the crest to a simpler design. It had the blue sash, the name "La Franja," a football, and two crowns for the league titles. In 1996, they even changed the sash color to orange. But in 1998, new owners brought back the blue color and a more modern version of the 1983 crest.
In 2016, a new round crest was introduced due to legal issues. It had elements from the city's coat of arms. But in 2018, the current crest was brought back. It's a modern version of the 1983 design, after the legal problems were solved. The club also uses special crests for anniversaries.
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Crest used from 1994 to 1995
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Crest used from 1995 to 1998
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Crest used from 2017 to 2018
Club Achievements
National Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning editions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top division |
Liga Mayor/Primera División/Liga MX | 2 | 1982–83, 1989–90 | 1944–45, 1991–92 |
| Copa México/Copa MX | 5 | 1944–45, 1952–53, 1987–88, 1989–90, Clausura 2015 | Apertura 2014 | |
| Campeón de Campeones | 1 | 1990 | 1945, 1953, 1988 | |
| Supercopa MX | 1s | 2015 | – | |
| Promotion divisions | Primera División A | 2 | Apertura 2005, Apertura 2006 | – |
| Campeón de Ascenso | 1 | 2007 | 2006 | |
| Copa de la Segunda División | 0 | – | 1968–69, 1969–70 |
International Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning editions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercontinental CONCACAF CONMEBOL |
Copa Interamericana | 0 | – | 1991 |
 Continental CONCACAF |
CONCACAF Champions Cup | 1 | 1991 | – |
- Notes
- record
- s shared record
Friendly Cups
- Copa Manuel Hidalgo: 1953
- Torneo Hexagonal Feria del Gol: 1986
- Camel Nations Cup: 1989
- Copa Independencia: 2006
- Copa Puebla: 2007
- Copa Heroica Puebla: 2008
- Copa Cuauhtémoc: 2008
- Copa Amistad: 2009
- Copa Pachuca: 2013
Team Rivalries
El Clásico Del Sur
Puebla used to have a big rivalry with Veracruz. This rivalry was called El Clásico Del Sur, meaning "The Southern Derby." It was a regional rivalry that started way back in the 1930s. Puebla has a better record in these matches, with more wins. The player Jorge Comas scored the most goals in this derby.
Sadly, in 2019, the Veracruz team faced money problems and was removed from the Liga MX. This means the rivalry is currently on hold.
El Clásico Poblano
Puebla also had a local rivalry with Lobos BUAP, another team from the same city. This was called El Clásico Poblano. Since Lobos BUAP was mostly in the second division, they didn't play each other very often. But when Lobos BUAP got promoted to Liga MX, they played more. Lobos BUAP won the first Liga MX Clasico Poblano in 2017. Puebla won their last official match against Lobos BUAP 3-0 in 2019.
In 2019, Lobos BUAP also faced financial issues and the team stopped playing. Another team bought their spot in Liga MX. This left Puebla without a local rival team for now.
Team Records & Statistics
This section shows Puebla's all-time statistics from all the tournaments they have played in Mexico and CONCACAF since 1944.
All-Time Top Goalscorers
Ricardo Alvarez is Puebla's all-time leading scorer in the first division. He scored 86 goals in 125 games between 1945 and 1950. No other player has reached his record in the first division.
Carlos Muñoz from Spain was the only player to win a league scoring title for Puebla. He scored 15 goals in 1996. Two other players came close to Alvarez's record: Silvio Fogel (84 goals) and Carlos Poblete (83 goals). Carlos Poblete also holds the record for most goals scored in playoffs, with 15.
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All time Goal Leaders
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Goal Scoring Champions
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Team Management
Current Management
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Manuel Jiménez García |
| General Director | Gabriel Saucedo Torres |
| Director of football | Rafael García |
| Director of football development |  Carlos Poblete |
| Director of academy |  Albert Espigares |
Source: Liga MX
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Pablo Guede |
| Assistant managers | Germán Lanaro |
| Efraín Velarde |
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 Brayan Angulo |
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| Goalkeeper coach | Ignacio Sánchez |
| Fitness coach | Gustavo Leombruno |
| Physiotherapist | Jesús Romero |
| Team doctor | Arturo Alcalde |
Players
First-Team Squad
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Other Players Under Contract
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Players Out on Loan
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Reserve Teams
Team Managers
Isidro Lángara (1952–54)
Carlito Peters (1977)
Juan Ricardo Faccio (1977–78)- Manuel Lapuente (1978–84)
- Hugo Fernández (1985–87)
- Pedro García Barros (1988–89)
- Manuel Lapuente (1988–93)
- Ignacio Trelles (1990–91)
- Jorge Vieira (1990–92)
Muricy Ramalho (1993)- Alfredo Tena (1993–95)
- Hugo Fernández (1995–96)
- Aníbal Ruiz (1996–97)
- Julio González (1997–98)
- Alfredo Tena (1 January 1999 – 5 April 1999)
- José Mari Bakero (1 July 1999 – 27 September 1999)
- Miguel Mejía Barón (2000)
- Mario Carrillo (16 September 2000 – 31 December 2001)
- Tomás Boy (1 January 2002 – 25 March 2002)
- Alejandro Domínguez (interim) (6 April 2002 – 12 April 2002)
- Tomás Boy (interim) (25 April 2002 – 30 June 2002)
- Ignacio Ambríz (1 July 2002 – 30 June 2003)
- Víctor Vucetich (16 September 2002 – 3 March 2003)
- Hugo Fernández (2003)
- Mario Carrillo (1 July 2003 – 31 December 2003)
- Roberto Saporiti (18 March 2005 – 30 June 2005)
- Jorge Aravena (1 July 2005 – 31 December 2005)
- César Luis Menotti (2006)
- José Luis Sánchez (1 July 2006 – 16 September 2008)
- Mario Carrillo (17 September 2008 – 31 December 2008)
- José Luis Sánchez (1 January 2009 – 23 August 2010)
- Eduardo Fentanes (24 August 2010 – 13 September 2010)
- José Luis Trejo (14 September 2010 – 15 February 2011)
- Héctor Hugo Eugui (15 February 2011 – 30 June 2011)
- Sergio Bueno (1 July 2011 – 31 December 2011)
- Juan Carlos Osorio (1 January 2012 – 21 March 2012)
- Daniel Bartolotta (21 March 2012 – 18 August 2012)
- Daniel Guzman (20 August 2012 – 30 October 2012)
- Carlos Poblete (30 October 2012 – 31 December 2012)
- Manuel Lapuente (1 January 2013 – 14 August 2013)
- Rubén Omar Romano (14 August 2013 – 24 August 2014)
- José Luis Sánchez (25 August 2014, 30 June 2014)
- José Guadalupe Cruz (8 December 2014 – 18 May 2015)
- Pablo Marini (30 May 2015 – 18 April 2016)
- Ricardo Valiño (19 April 2016 – 30 January 2017)
José Cardozo (30 January 2017 – 30 July 2017)- Rafael García (1 August 2017 – 18 October 2017)
- Enrique Meza (20 October 2017 – 3 February 2019)
- José Luis Sánchez (6 February 2019 – 17 August 2019)
Juan Reynoso (25 August 2019 – 5 December 2020)- Nicolás Larcamón (10 December 2020 – 9 November 2022)
- Eduardo Arce (18 November 2022 – 24 August 2023)
- Ricardo Carbajal (25 August 2023 – 24 February 2024)
Fernando Aristeguieta (Interim) (25 February 2024 – 11 March 2024)- Andrés Carevic (12 March 2024 – 8 May 2024)
- José Manuel de la Torre (22 May 2024 – 15 November 2024)
- Pablo Guede (2 December 2024 – Present)
See also
In Spanish: Club Puebla para niños
