ABU DHABI, 9th May, 2023 (WAM) -- Despite never winning the FIFA World Cup, Mexican football has always held a prestigious stature on the international stage, with its teams and clubs always being considered strong contenders for causing upsets and achieving impressive results in various competitions. Like in other Latin American countries, football has always won the largest share of fans' support in Mexico, to the point when the Mexican league has become one of the most attended local tournaments worldwide and one of the most watched on television. During the early decades of the previous century, Mexican football focused on local tournaments that were not on the same level as the national league, as they involved teams from geographically close regions. These included various tournaments, such as the Primera Fuerza, launched in 1902. In 1943, Mexico established its first professional league, marking the start of the professional era. Since then, Mexico's national championship has produced many outstanding players and remarkable teams. At the local league level and throughout the tournament's history, since its first edition in 1943, Club America has achieved the record for winning the most titles with 13, compared to 12 for Chivas, 10 for Toluca, and nine titles for Cruz Azul. According to statistics from the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, the Mexican league ranked tenth in the list of the strongest domestic leagues in the world during the first decade of this century. Statistics from Concacaf also show that the Mexican league has the third-highest attendance among all sporting championships in North America, after the American Football League and the American Association of Professional Baseball. These statistics highlight the attachment of Mexican fans to football and their love and support for their teams. The Mexican national football team achieved its best results in the 1970 and 1986 editions of the World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals in both tournaments. In 1983, Mexico won the right to host the FIFA World Cup for the second time after FIFA rejected bids from the US and Canada, making it the first country to host the tournament twice. Despite not winning the World Cup, the Mexican team ranks fifth in the list of teams that participated in the tournament, after Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Italy, while topping the list of all teams that have not won the title but participated in the tournament since its first edition in Uruguay in 1930. Mexican clubs, led by Club America, occupy the top spot in Concacaf's list of most successful clubs in continental competitions it has held, including the Concacaf Champions League. Throughout the history of Mexican football, many stars have left their mark during their professional journey, whether in local or international leagues. Among the best players in the history of Mexican football, 50-year-old goalkeeper ascar Perez stands out as one of its best goalkeepers and still holds the record for the most games played by any player in the Mexican league. Other notable players include Jorge Campos, Hugo Sanchez, Luis Hernandez and Javier Chicharito Hernandez, with the latter holding the record for the team's all-time leading scorer with 52 goals. Current team captain Andres Guardado still holds the top spot on the list of players with the most appearances in international matches with the Mexican national team, totalling 179 games.
Source: Emirates News Agency
