LIGA MX
Five Liga MX stars who ended up playing amateur soccer
After either finishing their career or failing to find a new club, a number of top players had to try their luck in amateur soccer.
Like any other profession, being a professional footballer does not always guarantee success - over the years, many players were not able to finish their careers at the top and had to settle for playing in the lower categories. Some even had to continued on an amateur basis. We take a look at some of the prominent cases in the Liga MX
Daniel Ludueña
Daniel Ludueña, more commonly known as Hachita was one of the most consistent players during his time - an attacking midfielder who came through the youth system at River Plate and gained joint Argentine-Mexican nationality. He touched down in Mexico in January 2005, signing for Tecos and went on to play for Pachuca, Santos Laguna and Pumas. He joined Tampico Madero on a free transfer in 2017 at the tail end of his career. After his time with the Jaiba Brava, the naturalized Mexican stayed in Tamaulipas, where he spent the last of his playing days until he decided to hang up his boots for good in the summer of 2018..
Vicente Matías Vuoso
Argentinean by birth and naturalized Mexican, Vuoso enjoyed an outstanding run in the Mexican top flight, defending the colors of Santos Laguna, América, Atlas, Pumas, Cruz Azul and Correcaminos. Prior to his arrival in Mexico, he was on the books at Manchester City, signing a $5 million deal in June 2002 to become the club’s first Argentine player. By 2015, his career had started to decline and he ended up in the lower leagues at Deportivo Aragón alongside other ex-pros such as César Villaluz, with whom he won the Liga Mayor de Oaxaca.
Néstor Calderón
Mexican winger Néstor Calderón had an outstanding career in the top circuit playing for Guadalajara, Santos Laguna and Toluca and winning a host of domestic trophies including four league titles and two Mexican Cups. As soon as his level started to dip he lost prominence. Currently, El Avión (The Aeroplane) is playing amateur 7-a-side football with Caguamos FC.
Salvador Carmona
Mexican defender who could play either at right-back or centre-back, Chava spent time at Toluca, Chivas and Cruz Azul but his career ended early due to doping problems in the mid-2000s. After being banned from competing professionally for life by TAS, he remained in the world of soccer playing at amateur level for Cuernavaca.
Héctor Mancilla
The historic Tigres player had a hugely successful spell in Mexican soccer, contributing 126 goals with goals and 27 assists during his first spell in the Liga MX. In 2010, he was among the top 20 maximum top flight goal scorers worldwide. A Chilean international, he saw out his later years with amateur team CD Cuautla in Morelos.
