Ricardo Peláez facts for kids
Peláez in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ricardo Peláez Linares | ||
| Date of birth | 14 March 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Mexico City, Mexico | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1985–1987 | América | 17 | (8) |
| 1987–1997 | Necaxa | 352 | (138) |
| 1997–1998 | América | 33 | (17) |
| 1998–2000 | Guadalajara | 42 | (15) |
| Total | 444 | (171) | |
| National team | |||
| 1989–1999 | Mexico | 43 | (16) |
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Ricardo Peláez Linares (born March 14, 1963) is a famous Mexican former football player. After his playing career, he became a Director of Football for several important clubs. He was known for being a talented striker who scored many goals.
Peláez started playing professionally with Club América in 1985. He then moved to Club Necaxa in 1987. At Necaxa, he became a club legend, playing over 300 games and scoring 138 goals. This made him Necaxa's all-time top scorer! He returned to América in 1997 and later played for Guadalajara before retiring in 2000. Ricardo Peláez also proudly played for the Mexican national team, even at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
After he stopped playing, Peláez worked as a TV commentator. Later, he took on important roles as a sports executive. He was the Sporting President for Club América and the Director of Football for other big clubs like Cruz Azul and Guadalajara.
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Playing Career Highlights
Ricardo Peláez Linares started his journey in a surprising way. He first studied to become an accountant. But his true passion was football. At 23, he tried out for Club América. The club quickly saw his talent and signed him for their main team. He scored his first goal for América in 1985, helping them win a final.
Peláez always said he was a big fan of both Club América and Club Necaxa. He is still Necaxa's top goal scorer with 138 goals. He scored these goals during his time with the team from 1987 to 1997.
After his second time with América, he joined Guadalajara in 1998. Sadly, knee injuries forced him to retire from playing in 2000 when he was 35. Throughout his career, Peláez scored 172 goals and made 40 assists. Necaxa even named a training field after him at their new facilities in Aguascalientes to honor his achievements.
Playing for Mexico
Peláez was an important part of the Mexican national team. He played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and scored two goals in the tournament. One goal was against South Korea, helping Mexico win 3–1. His second goal was in a 2–2 draw against the Netherlands.
In total, Peláez played 43 games for Mexico and scored 16 goals. He also helped Mexico win the 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Executive Roles in Football
After his successful playing career, Ricardo Peláez moved into leadership roles in football.
Leading Club América
On November 8, 2011, Peláez became the new Sporting President of Club América. This was a big change for the club. One of his first decisions was to hire Miguel Herrera as the new team manager.
Under Peláez's leadership, Club América did very well. They reached the playoffs every season. They played in the Liga MX final four times, winning the championship in 2013 and 2014. They also won the CONCACAF Champions' League twice, in 2014–15 and 2015–16. He left this role in April 2017.
Working with Cruz Azul
Peláez was announced as the Director of Football for Cruz Azul on May 7, 2018. He signed a two-year contract with the club. In his first season with Cruz Azul, the team won the Copa MX by beating Monterrey 2–0 in the final.
Time at Guadalajara
After much talk, Peláez became Guadalajara's new Director of Football starting in 2020. However, his contract was ended on October 11, 2022, after the team lost a playoff game.
Outside Football Activities
In 2004, Peláez started working as a football commentator for the Mexican TV station Televisa. He also lent his voice to the FIFA video games, providing Spanish commentary alongside Enrique Bermúdez. From 2017 to 2018, he worked as an analyst for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Mexico.
Achievements and Awards
Ricardo Peláez won many titles during his career, both as a player and as an executive.
As a Player:
- América
- Mexican Primera División: Prode-85
- Necaxa
- Mexican Primera División: 1994–95, 1995–96
- Copa México: 1994–95
- CONCACAF Cup Winners' Cup: 1994
- Campeón de Campeones: 1995
- Mexico National Team
- CONCACAF Gold Cup: 1996
See also
In Spanish: Ricardo Peláez para niños
