Santos Laguna facts for kids
 |
||||
| Full name | Club Santos Laguna, S.A. de C.V. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) |
|
|||
| Short name | SAN, CSL | |||
| Founded | September 4, 1983, as Club Santos IMSS Laguna | |||
| Ground | Estadio Corona | |||
| Capacity | 30,000 | |||
| Owner | Grupo Orlegi | |||
| Chairman | Alejandro Irarragorri Kalb | |||
| Head coach | Francisco Rodríguez | |||
| League | Liga MX | |||
| Clausura 2025 | Regular phase: 18th Final phase: Did not qualify |
|||
|
||||
Club Santos Laguna, often called Santos Laguna or just Santos, is a professional football team from Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico. They play in Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico.
The club started in 1983 as Club Santos IMSS Laguna. It was founded by the Mexican Social Security Institute in Durango. The next year, it changed to its current name. Santos Laguna joined Mexico's top league by buying the Ángeles de Puebla team. They played their first top-division game in the 1988–89 season.
Santos Laguna has won 6 Liga MX championships in Mexico. They also won 1 Copa MX and 1 Campeón de Campeones cup. They have reached the finals of the CONCACAF Champions League twice, but finished as runners-up both times.
Santos is the third football club from the Comarca Lagunera region. The earlier teams, Laguna and Club Torreón, moved to other cities. In 2018, the club celebrated its 35th birthday with a new logo. In 2013, a poll showed Santos was the fifth most popular team in Mexico.
Contents
Club History
How the Team Started
Santos Laguna was founded in 1983 by the IMSS from Durango. The IMSS had a national football tournament. José Díaz Couder, an IMSS leader, formed a team for it. This team was based on Asturias F.C..
In 1987, the IMSS bought a team called Tuberos de Veracruz. They moved this team to Santa Cruz, Tlaxcala. The first Santos Laguna team stayed in Tlaxcala for less than a year. Then, they moved to Gómez Palacio. Because there were no good facilities there, they worked to get Moctezuma Stadium (Estadio Corona) in Torreón. This stadium was owned by John Abusaid. The Saints made the old Estadio Corona their first home. On September 4, 1988, the Warriors played their first game as Santos Laguna and won 2–0.
Joining the Top League
In 1988, Santos Laguna bought the Ángeles de Puebla team and moved it to Torreón. This helped them join the top league. Players like Christian Saavedra, Wilson Graniolatti, Martín Zúñiga, and Miguel Herrera joined the team. They started with three wins, four draws, and one loss. Lucas Ochoa scored the club's first goal in the top league. The Warriors, led by Carlos Ortiz, avoided being moved down to a lower league. Herrera's two goals helped them win 3–1 against Atlético Potosino.
In 1991, Grupo Modelo became the main owner of the club. Ramon Ramirez played his first top-league game and scored a goal against Club Deportivo Guadalajara. Sadly, the club president and his wife died in a car accident the next year.
In 1993, new leaders and coach Pedro García joined. Grupo Modelo invested a lot in new players like Antonio "El Turco" Apud, Daniel Guzmán, Olaf Heredia, Diego Silva, Héctor Adomaitis, and Richard Zambrano. These players joined others from the lower league. In the 1993–94 season, the team reached the playoffs for the first time. They made it to the final, which was their tenth anniversary. However, they lost in extra time to Club Deportivo Estudiantes Tecos.
In 1994, a key player, Ramón Ramírez, left for Guadalajara. But Santos still made it to the playoffs again. The Warriors played in the 1995 CONCACAF Champions Cup. They were knocked out early by Deportivo FAS from El Salvador. Argentine player Mauro Camoranesi played 13 games for Santos before going back to Uruguay. Other important players around this time were Gabriel Caballero, Francisco Gabriel de Anda, and Miguel España.
In 1996, Cristian Montecinos helped the team. Santos Laguna won their first top-league title with new player Jared Borghetti. In 1997, Santos Laguna played poorly, winning only three games. In 1998, the club reached a qualifying final for the Copa Libertadores.
The 2000s: More Success
In 2000, Santos Laguna got stronger with new players Rodrigo Ruiz and Luis Romero. They lost only two games and finished second in the league.
In 2001, the club won their second league championship. Later that year, they did not make the playoffs. In 2002, the Warriors were fourth but lost in the semi-finals. Santos Laguna also played in the CONCACAF Champions Cup for the second time. They won against Tauro FC from Panama. But in the next round, they lost to the U.S. champion Kansas City Wizards.
The club faced financial problems in 2004. The government stopped supporting them, and the team went back to its former owner, Grupo Modelo. Players were cut, and Santos Laguna did not make the playoffs.
In 2005, Vicente Matias Vuoso was the top scorer with 15 goals. Rodrigo Ruiz set a Mexican record with 12 assists. The 2006 season was very tough for the club.
The 2007 season was one of the team's best. With Christian Benítez joining, Santos Laguna lost only one match. Even Pelé visited them! In 2008, Santos Laguna scored 36 goals. On June 1, 2008, Santos Laguna won their third championship, beating Cruz Azul.
The 2009 season was difficult. Coach Daniel Guzmán was fired and replaced by Sergio Bueno. The team's luck improved a bit. In the CONCACAF Champions League, they lost to the Montreal Impact. The new Estadio Corona opened in 2009. Bueno was replaced by Rubén Omar Romano.
The 2010s: More Trophies
In 2010, Santos almost won the title but lost to Toluca. Christian Benítez returned and helped them reach the top of the league, scoring 14 goals. But the Warriors lost to Monterrey in the final again.
In 2011, coach Rubén Omar Romano was dismissed. Diego Cocca became coach but lost his first six games. The team did not make the playoffs. Later in 2011, Benjamín Galindo became the new coach. Under him, Santos won five games in a row.
In the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, Santos beat the Seattle Sounders FC and Toronto FC. But they lost the final to Rayados de Monterrey. In the Clausura 2012, Santos Laguna finished first in the league. They won their quarter-final and semi-final matches. In the final, they beat Monterrey 3-2 overall, with goals from Daniel Ludueña and Oribe Peralta. This was the club's fourth title!
In 2013, Pedro Caixinha became the new coach. Santos Laguna finished sixth in the regular season. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Cruz Azul. In the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League, Santos reached the final again but lost to Monterrey.
In August 2013, Grupo Modelo sold Santos Laguna to a new company called Orlegi Sports. The new owners said they would continue to support the team.
Santos Laguna played in the 2014 Copa Libertadores for the second time. They finished first in their group without losing a game. However, they were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Argentinian team Lanús. After this, several Lanús players, like Carlos Izquierdoz, Diego "Pulpo" González, and Agustín Marchesín, joined Santos Laguna.
In the Clausura 2015, Santos made a great comeback after losing six games in a row. They qualified for the playoffs. They beat Tigres UANL and Chivas del Guadalajara to reach the final. In the final, they played against Gallos Blancos del Querétaro. Santos won the first game 5–0, with Javier "Chuletita" Orozco scoring four goals! In the second game, Querétaro won 3–0, but Santos won their fifth championship 5–3 on total score.
In the Clausura 2018 tournament, under coach Robert Dante Siboldi, Santos Laguna finished fourth. In the playoffs, they beat Tigres UANL and América. They reached the final against Toluca. Santos won the first game 2-1. In the second game, it was a 1-1 draw, which meant Santos Laguna won their sixth league title! Djaniny Tavares was the top goal scorer in that tournament with fourteen goals.
The team played in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League. They won big against Marathón and the New York Red Bulls. But in the semi-finals, they lost to Tigres UANL.
Notable Teams
1993–94 Runners-up
This team reached the final but finished second. They won the first game 1–0 but lost the second 2–0.
Squad
Adrián Marmolejo- Ramón Ramírez
Hector Adomaitis- Diego Silva
- Antonio Apud
- Daniel Guzmán
Richard Zambrano- Felipe de Jesús Amezcua
- José Antonio Alcántara
- Jesús Gómez
Ricardo Wagner de Souza- Pedro Muñoz
Invierno 1996 Champions
Santos Laguna won their first title in 1996. They beat Necaxa 4–3 overall. The winning goal by Jared Borgetti was a bit controversial.
Squad
- José Miguel
- Francisco Gabriel de Anda
- Pedro Muñoz
- José Guadalupe Rubio
- Ricardo Wagner de Souza
- Nicolás Ramírez
- Miguel España
- Benjamín Galindo
- Héctor Adomaitis
- Jared Borgetti
- Gabriel Caballero
- Francisco Del Río
Verano 2001 Champions
In 2001, Santos Laguna won their second title. They beat Pachuca 4–3 overall.
Squad
- Adrián Martínez
- Héctor Altamirano
- Héctor López
- Miguel Ángel Carreón
- Mariano Trujillo
- Carlos Cariño
- Luis Romero
- Johan Rodríguez
- Rodrigo Ruiz
- Joaquín Reyes Chávez
- Jared Borgetti
- Guto
- Róbson Luíz
Luis Fernando Soto- Ignacio Vázquez
- Enrique Vizcarra
Clausura 2008 Champions
In 2008, Santos became champions. They beat Monterrey in the semi-finals with a late goal. Then, they beat Cruz Azul 3–2 overall in the final.
Squad
- Oswaldo Sánchez
- Iván Estrada
- Rafael Figueroa
- Fernando Ortiz
Edgar Castillo- Osmar Mares
- Juan Pablo Santiago
- Johnny García
- Jorge Barrera
- Juan Pablo Rodríguez
- Fernando Arce
- Francisco Torres
- Walter Jiménez
- Daniel Ludueña
Christian Benítez- Vicente Matías Vuoso
- Oribe Peralta
- Agustín Herrera
Clausura 2012 Champions
In 2012, Santos won their fourth championship. They beat Tigres UANL in the semi-finals with two late goals. Then, they beat Monterrey 3–2 overall in the finals.
Squad
- Oswaldo Sánchez
- Iván Estrada
Felipe Baloy- Aarón Galindo
- Osmar Mares
Marc Crosas- Rodolfo Salinas
Carlos Darwin Quintero- Juan Pablo Rodríguez
- Daniel Ludueña
- Oribe Peralta
- César Ibáñez
- Rafael Figueroa
- Cándido Ramírez
- Herculez Gomez
Team Sponsors and Uniforms
| Year | Manufacturer | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1988–89 | Adidas | Coca-Cola |
| 1989–90 | Pepín | Martí |
| 1990–91 | ||
| 1991–92 | Topper | Quesos La Risueña |
| 1992–1994 | Pony | Coca-Cola |
| 1994–1996 | Aba Sport | Corona Extra |
| 1996–2000 | Corona Sport | |
| 2000–2002 | Soriana | |
| 2002–2010 | Atletica | |
| 2011–2018 | Puma | |
| 2018– | Charly |
Santos Laguna has always worn green, with white or black details. Their uniform style started after they bought the Ángeles de Puebla team.
The first home uniform was white with green sleeves and a green stripe. The away uniform was white, honoring Club Torreón. In 1986, they started using green-and-white stripes for their home uniform. In 2000, Santos Laguna signed a deal with Soriana.
Team Uniforms Over the Years
         1983–84
|
    1988–89
|
   1996–97
|
  2000–01
|
2007–08
|
 2008–09
|
    2009–10
|
   2010
|
     2011
|
     2012
|
    2013
|
   30th-anniversary edition
|
     2014
|
Home Stadiums
Old Corona Stadium
The old Corona Stadium in Torreón, Coahuila, was one of Mexico's smaller football stadiums. It could hold 20,100 people. It opened on July 2, 1970, with a friendly game. The stadium was torn down on November 2, 2009.
New Corona Stadium
Santos Laguna now plays at the new Estadio Corona. This stadium cost $100 million and can hold 30,050 fans. Building started on February 22, 2008. On November 11, 2009, the stadium opened with a friendly match between Santos Laguna and Santos FC from Brazil. The stadium was full, with important guests like Mexican president Felipe Calderón and Brazilian football legend Pelé. Santos Laguna won the game 2–1.
Team Symbols
Club Logo
Santos Laguna's main colors are green and white. When the club started in 1983, its logo was white with green stripes and letters, similar to Santos FC's logo. In 1991, when Grupo Modelo bought the club, the logo became more like the one used today.
After winning their first title in 1996, a star was added to the logo. Another star was added after their second title in 2001. The stars were moved outside the main logo in 2012. In 2018, the club used a special logo with the number '35' for its 35th anniversary. A sixth star was added after they won the Clausura 2018 tournament.
Team Songs
In 1991, when the club was in danger of being moved to a lower division, they got their first team song, "Es hora de ganar" by Ricardo Serna. In 1994, Serna wrote "Santos Campeon." Later, in 1996, another song called "Verdiblanco el corazon" was written. In 1997, Serna wrote "Hymn to the Fans." In 2001, the club introduced "Venceremos." A singer named Yahir sang a song for the club's 25th anniversary.
Team Partnerships
On December 9, 2010, Santos started a partnership with Scottish champions Celtic. Both teams wear green-and-white striped uniforms. They often mention each other on social media. On January 10, 2013, Santos also partnered with Atlético Nacional.
Team Rivalries
Santos has a big rivalry with their nearby team, Monterrey. They have played against each other in many important finals, including in the Primera División de México and twice in the CONCACAF Champions League. Santos also has a rivalry, though a smaller one, with Tigres UANL.
Club Achievements
National Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning editions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top division |
Primera División/Liga MX | 6 | Invierno 1996, Verano 2001, Clausura 2008, Clausura 2012, Clausura 2015, Clausura 2018 | 1993–94, Verano 2000, Bicentenario 2010, Apertura 2010, Apertura 2011, Guardianes 2021 |
| Copa MX | 1 | Apertura 2014 | – | |
| Campeón de Campeones | 1 | 2015 | 2018 |
International Competitions
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning editions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Continental CONCACAF |
CONCACAF Champions League | 0 | – | 2011–12, 2012–13 |
Friendly Cups
- Copa Torreón: 1985
- Torneo Cuadrangular Don Pedro Valdez: 1989
- Torneo Fútbol Tres: 1994
- Copa Corona: 1999, 2000
- Copa Independencia: 2007
- Xango Cup: 2008
- Copa Jalisco: 2014
- Copa Socio MX: 2016
Team Personnel
Management Team
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Sporting Chairman | Alejandro Irarragorri Kalb |
| Director of football | Ricardo Martínez |
| Director of academy | Omar Tapia |
Source: Liga MX
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Francisco Rodríguez |
| Assistant managers | Gorgonio López |
| Jaime Ramos |
|
| José Rodríguez |
|
| Goalkeeper coach |  Manuel Gerardo Corona |
| Fitness coach | Sergio Pardo |
| Physiotherapist | Jorge Monárrez |
| Team doctor | Luis Serratos |
Players
Current Team Squad
|
|
Other Players Under Contract
|
|
Players Out on Loan
|
|
Retired Jersey Numbers
- 58 – Jared Borgetti, Forward (1996 - 2006)
Player Records
Top Scorers
- In the Primera División (League)
- Gabriel Caballero (1997; 13 goals)
- Jared Borgetti (2000; 19 goals)
- Jared Borgetti (2001; 22 goals)
- Vicente Matías Vuoso (2005; 16 goals)
- Vicente Matías Vuoso (2005; 11 goals)
- Christian Benítez (2010; 14 goals)
Djaniny (2018; 14 goals)- Harold Preciado (2023; 16 goals)
- In the Copa Mexico
- Richard Zambrano (1995; 3 goals)
- Andrés Rentería (2014; 6 goals)
- In International Games
- Oribe Peralta (2012 CONCACAF Champions League; 7 goals)
- Darwin Quintero (2013 CONCACAF Champions League; 6 goals)
All-Time Player Records
|
|
Club Presidents
| Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Salvador Necochea Sagui |
1984 | 1988 |
| Francisco Dávila Rodríguez |
1989 | 1990 |
| Salvador Necochea Sagui |
1991 | 1991 |
| Francisco Dávila Rodríguez |
1991 | 1992 |
| Armando Navarro Gascón |
1992 | 1992 |
| Alberto Canedo Macouzet |
1993 | 1994 |
| Francisco Dávila Rodríguez |
1994 | 1995 |
| Martín Ibarreche |
1995 | 1996 |
| Francisco Dávila Rodríguez |
1996 | 2000 |
| Guillermo Cantú |
2000 | 2003 |
| Alberto Canedo Macouzet |
2004 | 2006 |
| Alejandro Irarragorri |
2007 | 2019 |
| Dante Elizalde |
2019 |
Images for kids
-
Old Corona Stadium (1970-2009)
-
New Corona Stadium (2009-)
See also
In Spanish: Club Santos Laguna para niños
