SOCCER
How many Mexicans have won the FIFA Club World Cup?
As the Club World Cup begins, just how many Mexican players have lifted the trophy?
The 2023 FIFA Club World Cup has officially kicked off in the Moroccan port city of Tangier. Al-Ahly, Egyptian runner-up in the CAF Champions League, and Auckland City of Australia, champion of the OFC Champions League opened the tournament this afternoon. The other winning teams from their respective confederations are Real Madrid, Flamengo, Al-Hilal, Wydad Casablanca and Seattle Sounders.
For the first time in 18 years, there will be no Mexican teams in this international tournament, however, three national players have made the trip with the two biggest clubs in Spain and have even been crowned champions. We check them out below.
- More detail: Al Ahly vs Auckland: summary and match report
Rafa Márquez, Barcelona, 2009
Mexican football legend Rafa Márquez became world champion with Fútbol Club Barcelona in 2009. He started against Atlante and played 56 minutes. In the final against Estudiantes, the ‘Kaiser’ remained on the bench.
In total, Márquez played well over 200 games, mainly as a centre-back, for Barcelona, winning the Champions League twice. He also won 4 LaLiga titles. He is the current manager of the Barcelona B Team.
Jonathan dos Santos, Barcelona, 2009
Another compatriot who can brag of having the world title is the youngest of the dos Santos brothers. Similar to all the trophies that Jonathan has with the Catalan club, he had no place in the constellation of stars at the level of Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández and Lionel Messi, but as he was registered in the team, he is part of the list of winners.
He played 28 times for the Catalan club, winning the Champions League, one UEFA Super Cup, 3 league titles and 2 FIFA Club World Cups. He now plays for Mexican side Club América.
'Chicharito' Hernandez, Real Madrid, 2014
Another of the Aztecs to have lifted the Club World Cup without having played a single minute of the tournament, is ‘Chicharito’, who was part of the Real Madrid team that thrashed Cruz Azul 4-0 and was crowned champion against San Lorenzo.
The current LA Galaxy striker played 33 times for the Spanish giants, and has an impressive return rate of 9 goals and 9 assists, including a famous Champions League goal against Atlético Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. As for his time in MLS, he has played 71 times since January 2020 and has scored 38 goals. His most famous stint in football was most likely for Manchester United, where he featured 157 times and managed to score 59 goals and get 20 assists for the English club.