Hugo Sánchez
Encyclopedia
Hugo Sánchez Márquez popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican
football coach
and former striker
. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid
. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team
, and participated in three World Cups
. He currently works for TV network Univision
as a sports broadcaster.
As a coach, he won two championships as head coach of the club Pumas de la UNAM and briefly with Club Necaxa, both teams in the Mexican Primera División
. He also had a sixteen-month stint with the Mexican national team
, but was fired on March 31, 2008. Hugo Sanchez has signed up to start coaching again, now in Europe, for UD Almería
http://www.udalmeriasad.com/udalmeria/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1773&Itemid=59 from the Spanish First Division starting December 29, in an attempt to save the team from descending to the 2nd Division by the Summer. He has succeeded in keeping UD Almeria
free from relegation from La Liga
for the 2009-2010 season.
In 1999, the IFFHS voted him the 26th best footballer of the 20th Century, and the best footballer
from the CONCACAF
region.
in the 1976 Summer Olympics
. Having already played in over 80 international games, Sánchez signed as a youth player at the age of 18 for UNAM Pumas, a professional team representing Mexico's National University, where he completed a degree in Dentistry while keeping up his football career. That year, UNAM managed to get its first championship in the Mexican Football League
. Two years later, he became top-scorer in the league with 26 goals. In 1979, UNAM agreed to exchange players during the off-seasons with the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League
(NASL). The NASL played during the summer and the Mexican League played during the fall, winter and spring. UNAM loaned Sánchez to the Sockers in both 1979 and 1980 where he became a dominant striker for the Sockers, averaging nearly a goal a game.
Sánchez' five seasons with UNAM were the team's golden years. In his last season with the team, Hugo and UNAM won its second championship and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
. It took him a while to find his feet in La Liga
, but by the 1984-85 season he was scoring regularly with a team that won the Copa del Rey
, finished in second place in the Spanish League
and won the Spanish Super Copa. That year Hugo also won his first Pichichi trophy for being the most prolific scorer in the league.
At the high-point of his career, he signed for Real Madrid
in 1985 and played with players such as Camacho
, Butragueño
, Gordillo
, Schuster
, Valdano and Míchel
. This team won five consecutive league titles (from 1985-86 to 1989-90), the Copa del Rey in 1989, and the UEFA Cup
in 1986. During those five years, Sánchez garnered four consecutive Pichichi trophies (the only player in Spain's football history to achieve this without sharing the trophy on any season), scoring 207 goals in 283 games. He scored 27 or more goals in four consecutive seasons between 1986 and 1990, including 38 goals in the 1989-90 season, tying the single-season record set in 1951 by Telmo Zarra and earning the European Golden Boot
award to the best scorer in Europe. Overall, he scored 47 goals in 45 European Cup games.
In 1992, Sánchez returned to his native Mexico for a season, before playing for a variety of clubs in Spain, Austria
and the USA (he played for the Dallas Burn
in the inaugural year of Major League Soccer
, becoming one of two people, along with Roy Wegerle
, to play outdoor football in both the NASL
and MLS
). He finished his career playing for Atlético Celaya
with Butragueño and Míchel, his old colleagues from Real Madrid.
, but his years as a Mexican international coincided with a difficult period for the nation's football. Mexico did not participate in the World Cup
of 1982 and 1990, in which Sánchez would have most likely been part of the Mexican squad. He scored one goal in eight appearances in the three World Cups in which he competed and was never selected for the "Best XI" World Cup squads. Sánchez's brash personality is often cited as the reason he did not play many games at the 1994 World Cup, purportedly as a result of internecine frictions between Hugo and the Mexican Football Federation (FMF)
.
| 1. || October 9, 1977 || Mexico City
, Mexico
|| || 4–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 2. || October 15, 1977 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 8–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 3. || October 15, 1977 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 8–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 4. || October 22, 1977 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 3–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 5. || February 5, 1978 || San Salvador
, El Salvador
|| ||5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 6. || February 5, 1978 || San Salvador, El Salvador || ||5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 7. || February 5, 1978 || San Salvador, El Salvador || ||5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 8. || May 3, 1978 || Helsinki
, Finland
|| || 1–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 9. || January 6, 1979 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 1–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 10 || December 4, 1979 || San Salvador, El Salvador || || 2–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 11. || December 4, 1979 || San Salvador, El Salvador || || 2–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 12. || December 18, 1979 || Texcoco
, Mexico || || 1–1 || Draw || Friendly
|-
| 13. || April 8, 1980 || Toluca
, Mexico || || 5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 14. || April 8, 1980 || Toluca, Mexico || || 5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 15. || April 15, 1980 || Guatemala City
, Guatemala
|| || 4–2 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 16. || April 29, 1980 || Toluca, Mexico || || 2–2 || Draw || Friendly
|-
| 17. || November 9, 1980 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 5–1 || Win || 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification
|-
| 18. || November 16, 1980 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 1–1 || Draw || 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification
|-
| 19. || November 23, 1980 || Fort Lauderdale
, United States
|| || 1–2 || Loss || 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification
|-
| 20. || January 20, 1981 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 1–1 || Draw || Friendly
|-
| 21. || June 23, 1981 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 1–3 || Loss || Friendly
|-
| 22. || November 1, 1981 || Tegucigalpa
, Honduras
|| || 4–0 || Win || 1981 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 23. || November 1, 1981 || Tegucigalpa, Honduras || || 4–0 || Win || 1981 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 24. || November 11, 1981 || Tegucigalpa, Honduras || || 1–1 || Draw || 1981 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 25. || August 25, 1985 || Los Angeles
, United States || || 2–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 26. || June 3, 1986 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 2–1 || Win || 1986 FIFA World Cup
|-
| 27. || April 11, 1993 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 3–0 || Win || 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| 28. || May 9, 1993 || Toronto
, Canada
|| || 2–1 || Win || 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
|| 29. || June 30, 1993 || Quito
, Ecuador
|| || 2–0 || Win || 1993 Copa América
|}
—the stadium that witnessed most of his glory throughout his career. His last official game was in the 1998 World Cup preliminaries where he just touched the ball as a symbol of his retirement.
>
1977
1978
1979
1980
10
7
1981
6
5
1982
0
0
1983
0
0
1984
0
0
1985
2
1
1986
4
1
1987
0
0
1988
0
0
1989
0
0
1990
1
0
1991
0
0
1992
0
0
1993
14
3
1994
2
0
1995
0
0
1996
0
0
1997
0
0
1998
1
0
Total
58
29
One year passed and Jimenez Espriu resigned as the club's president. The new president, Luis Regueiro, knew exactly who was going to be the next coach for the team, so in November 2001, Sánchez was again signed as head coach of all UNAM's teams and given all the confidence of the new broad.
His labor was long and well planned, as for two years he forged a very competitive team. In 2003, the results were evident, and the Pumas were one of the best teams in the league, but the championship was still missing. Falling twice in semifinals all was set to the New Age Golden Year, 2004.
Sánchez Pumas won everything they played in 2004: Clausura 2004, Apertura 2004, Champion of Champions 2004 and Santiago Bernabeu's Cup. Also he is the only manager in the history to lead a Mexican team to two championships in a row in the Mexican first division
in the new "short tournament" format (South American format).
However, by the end of 2004 things weren't as good as it might seem. The Clausura 2004 tournament was won taking advantage of the competition format, as they only made the minimum points during the league to qualify to the playoffs. For the next tournament Pumas was the worst team of the tournament and in Winter 2005 Pumas was having the worst year of its history. The club needed a change and Sánchez decided to resign in November 2005.
There are many speculations about why he resigned. The most well known was that the future didn't seem too optimistic. He stated "If you think I'm the problem, I leave now that there is time, before the team is in danger of descending".
After this turns of events, Sánchez took some vacations and went to Spain to offer his services. Getafe almost signed him but economic differences got in the way. In 2006, Club Necaxa, another Mexican team, signed him as a head coach, but this was very quickly finished as he was called as Mexican National Team coach.
He was the coach of La Liga
's UD Almería
, but after accomplishing the goal of avoiding relegation from La Liga
, and despite on 2 June 2009 the Almeria chairman Alfonso García
announcing the renewal of his contract, he was released on 20 December 2009.
, with the commitment of leading Mexico through the qualification process
for the 2010 World Cup
finals in South Africa
.
During his coaching career especially, Sánchez has been known for his volatile temperament and willingness to speak candidly, often expressing strong emotions and opinions, a trait that engenders equally emotional and strong responses from those he criticizes. He has a long-standing feud between with former Mexican National Coach, Ricardo Antonio Lavolpe.
Sánchez's first match as Mexico coach was a 2-0 loss to the United States
in Phoenix, Arizona before Mexican fans in February, 2007. Sánchez recorded his first coaching victory against Venezuela
(3-1) in front of 67,000 "Tri" fans in San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium. Hugo's first game in Mexico took place against Paraguay
in Monterrey, Mexico on March 25, 2007, which Mexico won 2-1. A few days later on March 28, 2007, Mexico defeated Ecuador
4-2 in Oakland, California at McAfee Coliseum.
In June, 2007 Sánchez coached Mexico in the 2007 edition
of the Gold Cup
, his first official competition. After struggling in the first stages of the tournament, México reached the final June 24, 2007 and lost it against to the US (2-1).
On June 27, 2007, in the opening game of the Copa América 2007
held in Venezuela, Sánchez led the Mexican National Team to a stunning 3-1 win over 5-time world champions, Brazil
Hugo's first major victory as a coach. After glancing through the first round of the tournament, Hugo led the team to reach the semi-finals and battle against the Argentine squad, losing with a solid 3-0. Finally Mexico ended 3rd place of the competition by beating Uruguay 2-0.
In August 2007, Sánchez announced that Mexico would permanently, or at least in his time coaching the team, drop their famous green home kit, replacing it with their white away kit, meaning that their new away kit would be red. For this decision, Sánchez was subject of a lot of criticism. The two main arguments against him were that the decision was breaking a long-standing Mexican tradition, yet the strongest critics suggested that he should devote more time to the strategy and training of the Mexican team rather than entertaining himself with superfluous features of the sport.
In March 2008, Sánchez had some very upsetting results , including draws with Australia and Finland
, and a loss at home in Querétaro
against Ecuador
's U-23 team. The bad results continued in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualification, with a tie with Canada and a loss with Guatemala. Finally, his only victory coming against Haiti with a 5-1 score. However due to goal difference Mexico was eliminated from the Pre Olympic qualifying tournament. The elimination was a hard beat against the soccer in his country, particularly to the owners of the Mexican soccer clubs, who had supported him both economically and sportily by providing the resources and allowing the players to be separated from their teams for nearly a month, while the Mexican season was up.
Many analysts claim that Sánchez's first year as the national coach has resulted in a Mexican team with poor soccer variants, null collective game, tactic stiffness, and lack of strategy. A significant proportion of the press agree that this situation has reached a point of no return with the U-23 elimination from the Pre Olympic tournament. Hugo also made the decision to change the jersey color of the Mexican National team from green to white, due to his feelings on green being a color that blends into the grass. On March 31, Hugo Sanchez was fired from the Mexican team via a 16-2 vote from the main leaders of the sixteen First Division Club Owners.
1Includes results from Copa Libertadores 2003
2Includes results from CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2005
3Includes results from 2000 U.S. Cup
. Hugo Sánchez is married to Isabel Martín and has two children, a son and an older daughter from his previous marriage. His son, Hugo Sánchez Portugal
was a football player and has played in UNAM Pumas like him.
Sánchez was appointed as the official FIFA/SOS Ambassador for Mexico, joining Wayne Rooney
(Ambassador for England), Ruud van Nistelrooy
(Netherlands), and fifty others in fund raising for the official 2006 FIFA World Cup
Charity.
On September 1, 2007 Hugo Sanchez inaugurated a street with his name in Puebla, central Mexico, before a thousand of the locals around there.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
football coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, and participated in three World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
. He currently works for TV network Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
as a sports broadcaster.
As a coach, he won two championships as head coach of the club Pumas de la UNAM and briefly with Club Necaxa, both teams in the Mexican Primera División
Primera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
. He also had a sixteen-month stint with the Mexican national team
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, but was fired on March 31, 2008. Hugo Sanchez has signed up to start coaching again, now in Europe, for UD Almería
UD Almería
Unión Deportiva Almería, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1989 as Almería Club de Fútbol, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, with a 22,000-seat...
http://www.udalmeriasad.com/udalmeria/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1773&Itemid=59 from the Spanish First Division starting December 29, in an attempt to save the team from descending to the 2nd Division by the Summer. He has succeeded in keeping UD Almeria
UD Almería
Unión Deportiva Almería, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1989 as Almería Club de Fútbol, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, with a 22,000-seat...
free from relegation from La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
for the 2009-2010 season.
In 1999, the IFFHS voted him the 26th best footballer of the 20th Century, and the best footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
from the CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
region.
Early career
As a teenager, Sánchez played for the Mexico national football teamMexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
in the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
. Having already played in over 80 international games, Sánchez signed as a youth player at the age of 18 for UNAM Pumas, a professional team representing Mexico's National University, where he completed a degree in Dentistry while keeping up his football career. That year, UNAM managed to get its first championship in the Mexican Football League
Primera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
. Two years later, he became top-scorer in the league with 26 goals. In 1979, UNAM agreed to exchange players during the off-seasons with the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL). The NASL played during the summer and the Mexican League played during the fall, winter and spring. UNAM loaned Sánchez to the Sockers in both 1979 and 1980 where he became a dominant striker for the Sockers, averaging nearly a goal a game.
Sánchez' five seasons with UNAM were the team's golden years. In his last season with the team, Hugo and UNAM won its second championship and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Career
After five successful seasons in Mexico, with 99 goals to his name, Sánchez drew the attention of several Spanish sides, and signed with Atlético Madrid in 1981. He turned down an offer to play for Arsenal FCArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. It took him a while to find his feet in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, but by the 1984-85 season he was scoring regularly with a team that won the Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
, finished in second place in the Spanish League
Spanish league
Spanish league can refer to:* Spanish League, an outdated unit of measurement* Liga de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga, Primera División, and the "Spanish League," the professional football league in Spain....
and won the Spanish Super Copa. That year Hugo also won his first Pichichi trophy for being the most prolific scorer in the league.
At the high-point of his career, he signed for Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
in 1985 and played with players such as Camacho
José Antonio Camacho
José Antonio Camacho Alfaro is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a left defender, and the current coach of the China PR national football team....
, Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño Santos is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.He was best known for his spell with Real Madrid...
, Gordillo
Rafael Gordillo
Rafael Gordillo Vázquez is a retired Spanish footballer.A tremendously offensive left wingback, equally at ease as defender and midfielder and with a good effort rate, he had an unmistakable style of playing with his socks down, he represented with individual and team success Betis and Real...
, Schuster
Bernd Schuster
Bernhard Schuster is a German football manager and former player, currently unemployed. His nickname is "der Blonde Engel" .-Club career:...
, Valdano and Míchel
José Miguel González Martín
José Miguel González Martín del Campo, aka Míchel , is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a right midfielder.He was most noted for his stellar crossing ability, also contributing with a fair share of goals...
. This team won five consecutive league titles (from 1985-86 to 1989-90), the Copa del Rey in 1989, and the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in 1986. During those five years, Sánchez garnered four consecutive Pichichi trophies (the only player in Spain's football history to achieve this without sharing the trophy on any season), scoring 207 goals in 283 games. He scored 27 or more goals in four consecutive seasons between 1986 and 1990, including 38 goals in the 1989-90 season, tying the single-season record set in 1951 by Telmo Zarra and earning the European Golden Boot
European Golden Boot
The European Golden Shoe, formerly known as the European Golden Boot, is an association football award presented each season to the leading goalscorer in league matches from the top division of every European national league...
award to the best scorer in Europe. Overall, he scored 47 goals in 45 European Cup games.
In 1992, Sánchez returned to his native Mexico for a season, before playing for a variety of clubs in Spain, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and the USA (he played for the Dallas Burn
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
in the inaugural year of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, becoming one of two people, along with Roy Wegerle
Roy Wegerle
Roy Wegerle is a South African-American former soccer player, who played for the United States in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He is one of two players who played in both the NASL and MLS; the other is Hugo Sánchez....
, to play outdoor football in both the NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
and MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
). He finished his career playing for Atlético Celaya
Atlético Celaya
The Club Atlético Celaya was a Mexican football club from Celaya, Guanajuato. The club was formed in 1994 when the two second-division clubs Atletico Cuernavaca and Escuadra Celeste de Celaya merged...
with Butragueño and Míchel, his old colleagues from Real Madrid.
International career
In comparison to his "domestic" club success, Sánchez did not have a successful international career with the Mexican national team. He played 60 matches and scored 29 goals for the Mexican national teamMexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, but his years as a Mexican international coincided with a difficult period for the nation's football. Mexico did not participate in the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
of 1982 and 1990, in which Sánchez would have most likely been part of the Mexican squad. He scored one goal in eight appearances in the three World Cups in which he competed and was never selected for the "Best XI" World Cup squads. Sánchez's brash personality is often cited as the reason he did not play many games at the 1994 World Cup, purportedly as a result of internecine frictions between Hugo and the Mexican Football Federation (FMF)
Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación
The Mexican Federation of Football is the governing body of association football in Mexico. It administers the Mexican national team, the Mexican league and all affiliated amateur sectors, and is in charge of promoting, organizing, directing, spreading, and supervising competitive football in Mexico...
.
International goals
|-| 1. || October 9, 1977 || Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
|| || 4–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
1977 CONCACAF Championship
Mexico qualified for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.-See also:*1978 FIFA World Cup qualification*1978 FIFA World Cup qualification *1978 FIFA World Cup qualification *1978 FIFA World Cup qualification...
|-
| 2. || October 15, 1977 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 8–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 3. || October 15, 1977 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 8–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 4. || October 22, 1977 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 3–1 || Win || 1977 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 5. || February 5, 1978 || San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
|| ||5–1 || Win || Friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
|-
| 6. || February 5, 1978 || San Salvador, El Salvador || ||5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 7. || February 5, 1978 || San Salvador, El Salvador || ||5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 8. || May 3, 1978 || Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
|| || 1–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 9. || January 6, 1979 || Monterrey, Mexico || || 1–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 10 || December 4, 1979 || San Salvador, El Salvador || || 2–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 11. || December 4, 1979 || San Salvador, El Salvador || || 2–0 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 12. || December 18, 1979 || Texcoco
Texcoco, Mexico State
Texcoco is a city and municipality located in the northeast portion of Mexico State, 25 km northeast of Mexico City. In the pre-Hispanic era, this was a major Aztec city on the shores of Lake Texcoco. After the Conquest, the city was initially the second most important after Mexico City,...
, Mexico || || 1–1 || Draw || Friendly
|-
| 13. || April 8, 1980 || Toluca
Toluca
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
, Mexico || || 5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 14. || April 8, 1980 || Toluca, Mexico || || 5–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 15. || April 15, 1980 || Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
|| || 4–2 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 16. || April 29, 1980 || Toluca, Mexico || || 2–2 || Draw || Friendly
|-
| 17. || November 9, 1980 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 5–1 || Win || 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification
1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification
A total of 15 CONCACAF teams entered the competition. The 15 teams were divided into 3 zones, based on geographical considerations, as follows:* North American Zone had 3 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner and runner-up would advance to the Final...
|-
| 18. || November 16, 1980 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 1–1 || Draw || 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification
|-
| 19. || November 23, 1980 || Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|| || 1–2 || Loss || 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification
|-
| 20. || January 20, 1981 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 1–1 || Draw || Friendly
|-
| 21. || June 23, 1981 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 1–3 || Loss || Friendly
|-
| 22. || November 1, 1981 || Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
|| || 4–0 || Win || 1981 CONCACAF Championship
1981 CONCACAF Championship
-External links:*...
|-
| 23. || November 1, 1981 || Tegucigalpa, Honduras || || 4–0 || Win || 1981 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 24. || November 11, 1981 || Tegucigalpa, Honduras || || 1–1 || Draw || 1981 CONCACAF Championship
|-
| 25. || August 25, 1985 || Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, United States || || 2–1 || Win || Friendly
|-
| 26. || June 3, 1986 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 2–1 || Win || 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
|-
| 27. || April 11, 1993 || Mexico City, Mexico || || 3–0 || Win || 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the North, Central American and Caribbean zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification....
|-
| 28. || May 9, 1993 || Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
|| || 2–1 || Win || 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
|| 29. || June 30, 1993 || Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
|| || 2–0 || Win || 1993 Copa América
Copa América 1993
The 1993 Copa América was the 36th Copa América, CONMEBOL's football tournament for national teams. It was held in Ecuador between June 15 and July 4. All 10 CONMEBOL members took part, but for the first time two nations from outside CONMEBOL were invited to take part in the tournament. Mexico and...
|}
Retirement
Sánchez retired from Spanish football on May 29, 1997, playing with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu stadiumSantiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
—the stadium that witnessed most of his glory throughout his career. His last official game was in the 1998 World Cup preliminaries where he just touched the ball as a symbol of his retirement.
Legacy
His trademark was to perform a celebratory somersault after each goal he scored, honoring his sister, who was a gymnast and participated in the Montreal Olympics. He is also known for acrobatic goals, some involving his trademark windmill kick, a product of his own early training in gymnastics. To date, he has been the most successful Mexican football player by far to have played anywhere, in terms of years played, goalscoring, and achievements.Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
 UNAMClub Universidad Nacional Club Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City... |
1976/77 | 19 | 5 | ||||||
| 19 | 5 | ||||||||
| 1977/78 | 34 | 13 | |||||||
| 34 | 13 | ||||||||
| 1978/79 | 38 | 26 | |||||||
| 38 | 26 | ||||||||
| 1979/80 | 44 | 30 | |||||||
| 4 | 3 | 48 | 33 | ||||||
| 1980/81 | 44 | 22 | |||||||
| 44 | 22 | ||||||||
| Total | 179 | 96 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 183 | 99 | |
 San Diego Sockers |
1979 | 17 | 12 | ||||||
| 17 | 12 | ||||||||
| 1980 | 15 | 14 | |||||||
| 15 | 14 | ||||||||
| Total | 32 | 26 | - | - | - | - | 32 | 26 | |
 Atlético Madrid |
1981/82 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 12 |
| 1982/83 | 34 | 15 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 36 | 16 | ||||||||
| 1983/84 | 34 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 12 | |
| 1984/85 | 33 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 25 | |
| Total | 111 | 54 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 134 | 65 | |
| Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
1985/86 | 33 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 49 | 29 |
| 1986/87 | 41 | 34 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 54 | 41 | |
| 1987/88 | 36 | 29 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 50 | 35 | |
| 1988/89 | 35 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 50 | 37 | |
| 1989/90 | 35 | 38 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 45 | 42 | |
| 1990/91 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 20 | |
| 1991/92 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 3 | |
| Total | 207 | 164 | 37 | 20 | 39 | 23 | 283 | 207 | |
| Club América Club América Club América is a Mexican Professional football club based in Mexico City. It competes in the Primera División, the top professional league in the country. The team's nickname is Las Águilas .... |
1992/93 | 29 | 11 | ||||||
| 6 | 4 | 35 | 15 | ||||||
| Всего | 29 | 11 | - | - | 6 | 4 | 35 | 15 | |
| Rayo Vallecano Rayo Vallecano Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas... |
1993/94 | 29 | 16 | ||||||
| 29 | 16 | ||||||||
| Всего | 29 | 16 | - | - | - | - | 29 | 16 | |
| Atlante F.C. Atlante F.C. Club de Fútbol Atlante, is a Mexican professional football club, currently playing in the Mexican First Division League. The club is based in Cancún, Mexico as of the start of the 2007-08 season, when they relocated from Mexico City, and plays its home games in Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo.-Domestic... |
1994/95 | 31 | 13 | ||||||
| 31 | 13 | ||||||||
| Total | 31 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 31 | 13 | |
 LinzFC Linz FC Linz was an Austrian football club based in Linz, Upper Austria. It was founded on 30 June 1946 as SV Eisen und Stahl 1946 Linz, a factory squad of the public VÖEST steel company... |
1995/96 | 20 | 6 | ||||||
| 20 | 6 | ||||||||
| Total | 20 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 20 | 6 | |
| Dallas FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada... |
1996 | 25 | 11 | ||||||
| 25 | 11 | ||||||||
| Total | 25 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 25 | 11 | |
| Club Celaya |
1996/97 | 12 | 2 | ||||||
| 12 | 2 | ||||||||
| Total | 12 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 12 | 2 | |
| Career totals | 682 | 400 | 37 | 20 | 55 | 30 | 756 | 450 | |
International career statistics
Club
In the year 2000, UNAM Pumas was having a terrible championship. A new manager was needed, someone who could take the lead of one of the most important clubs in Mexico. The designated manager was Hugo Sánchez, idol and figure for UNAM's followers. So, in March, he signed for a 2 years contract with his most "beloved team". Although the very good campaign made by the team for that tournament, many differences became evident with the president of the club Javier Jiménez Espriú, which resulted in his distitution in August of the same year. "I'll be back when Jimenez Espriu is out. I know I'm right and I know I'll be back," were his words as he left the team.One year passed and Jimenez Espriu resigned as the club's president. The new president, Luis Regueiro, knew exactly who was going to be the next coach for the team, so in November 2001, Sánchez was again signed as head coach of all UNAM's teams and given all the confidence of the new broad.
His labor was long and well planned, as for two years he forged a very competitive team. In 2003, the results were evident, and the Pumas were one of the best teams in the league, but the championship was still missing. Falling twice in semifinals all was set to the New Age Golden Year, 2004.
Sánchez Pumas won everything they played in 2004: Clausura 2004, Apertura 2004, Champion of Champions 2004 and Santiago Bernabeu's Cup. Also he is the only manager in the history to lead a Mexican team to two championships in a row in the Mexican first division
Primera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
in the new "short tournament" format (South American format).
However, by the end of 2004 things weren't as good as it might seem. The Clausura 2004 tournament was won taking advantage of the competition format, as they only made the minimum points during the league to qualify to the playoffs. For the next tournament Pumas was the worst team of the tournament and in Winter 2005 Pumas was having the worst year of its history. The club needed a change and Sánchez decided to resign in November 2005.
There are many speculations about why he resigned. The most well known was that the future didn't seem too optimistic. He stated "If you think I'm the problem, I leave now that there is time, before the team is in danger of descending".
After this turns of events, Sánchez took some vacations and went to Spain to offer his services. Getafe almost signed him but economic differences got in the way. In 2006, Club Necaxa, another Mexican team, signed him as a head coach, but this was very quickly finished as he was called as Mexican National Team coach.
He was the coach of La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
's UD Almería
UD Almería
Unión Deportiva Almería, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1989 as Almería Club de Fútbol, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, with a 22,000-seat...
, but after accomplishing the goal of avoiding relegation from La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, and despite on 2 June 2009 the Almeria chairman Alfonso García
Alfonso Garcia
Alfonso Garcia is a Spanish footballer. He played all of his career in Germany, including 2 seasons in the Bundesliga with SpVgg Unterhaching. As of February 2009, he plays for an amateur team FSV 08 Bissingen.-External links:...
announcing the renewal of his contract, he was released on 20 December 2009.
Mexican national team
After briefly managing Club Necaxa, Sánchez was named head coach of the Mexico national teamMexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, with the commitment of leading Mexico through the qualification process
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
The CONCACAF qualification stage for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa consisted of 35 national teams competing for the three berths given automatically to CONCACAF by FIFA. The United States, Mexico and Honduras qualified...
for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
finals in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
During his coaching career especially, Sánchez has been known for his volatile temperament and willingness to speak candidly, often expressing strong emotions and opinions, a trait that engenders equally emotional and strong responses from those he criticizes. He has a long-standing feud between with former Mexican National Coach, Ricardo Antonio Lavolpe.
Sánchez's first match as Mexico coach was a 2-0 loss to the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in Phoenix, Arizona before Mexican fans in February, 2007. Sánchez recorded his first coaching victory against Venezuela
Venezuela national football team
The Venezuela national football team is the national football team of Venezuela and is controlled by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. It is nicknamed La Vinotinto , because of the traditional burgundy color of their shirts....
(3-1) in front of 67,000 "Tri" fans in San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium. Hugo's first game in Mexico took place against Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
in Monterrey, Mexico on March 25, 2007, which Mexico won 2-1. A few days later on March 28, 2007, Mexico defeated Ecuador
Ecuador national football team
The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
4-2 in Oakland, California at McAfee Coliseum.
In June, 2007 Sánchez coached Mexico in the 2007 edition
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...
of the Gold Cup
CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
, his first official competition. After struggling in the first stages of the tournament, México reached the final June 24, 2007 and lost it against to the US (2-1).
On June 27, 2007, in the opening game of the Copa América 2007
Copa América 2007
The 2007 Campeonato Sudamericano Copa América, known simply as the 2007 Copa América or 2007 Copa América Venezuela, was the 42nd edition of the Copa América, the South-American championship for international association football teams...
held in Venezuela, Sánchez led the Mexican National Team to a stunning 3-1 win over 5-time world champions, Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
Hugo's first major victory as a coach. After glancing through the first round of the tournament, Hugo led the team to reach the semi-finals and battle against the Argentine squad, losing with a solid 3-0. Finally Mexico ended 3rd place of the competition by beating Uruguay 2-0.
In August 2007, Sánchez announced that Mexico would permanently, or at least in his time coaching the team, drop their famous green home kit, replacing it with their white away kit, meaning that their new away kit would be red. For this decision, Sánchez was subject of a lot of criticism. The two main arguments against him were that the decision was breaking a long-standing Mexican tradition, yet the strongest critics suggested that he should devote more time to the strategy and training of the Mexican team rather than entertaining himself with superfluous features of the sport.
In March 2008, Sánchez had some very upsetting results , including draws with Australia and Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
, and a loss at home in Querétaro
Querétaro
Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....
against Ecuador
Ecuador national football team
The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
's U-23 team. The bad results continued in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualification, with a tie with Canada and a loss with Guatemala. Finally, his only victory coming against Haiti with a 5-1 score. However due to goal difference Mexico was eliminated from the Pre Olympic qualifying tournament. The elimination was a hard beat against the soccer in his country, particularly to the owners of the Mexican soccer clubs, who had supported him both economically and sportily by providing the resources and allowing the players to be separated from their teams for nearly a month, while the Mexican season was up.
Many analysts claim that Sánchez's first year as the national coach has resulted in a Mexican team with poor soccer variants, null collective game, tactic stiffness, and lack of strategy. A significant proportion of the press agree that this situation has reached a point of no return with the U-23 elimination from the Pre Olympic tournament. Hugo also made the decision to change the jersey color of the Mexican National team from green to white, due to his feelings on green being a color that blends into the grass. On March 31, Hugo Sanchez was fired from the Mexican team via a 16-2 vote from the main leaders of the sixteen First Division Club Owners.
Managerial stats
Last updated 25 May 2011 00:05| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | D | Win % | GF | GA | +/- | ||||
| UNAM Club Universidad Nacional Club Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City... 1, 2 |
|
2000 | 2005 | 202 | 89 | 63 | 50 | 44.06% | 328 | 295 | |
| Club Necaxa | |
2006 | 2006 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 28.57% | 8 | 11 | |
| Mexico Mexico national football team The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre... 3 |
|
2006 | 2008 | 26 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 50% | 45 | 32 | |
| Almeria UD Almería Unión Deportiva Almería, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1989 as Almería Club de Fútbol, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, with a 22,000-seat... |
|
2009 | 2009 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 35.29% | 5 | 6 | |
| Career | 252 | 110 | 80 | 62 | 43.65% | 386 | 344 | +42 | |||
1Includes results from Copa Libertadores 2003
Copa Libertadores 2003
The 2003 Copa Libertadores de América was the 44th edition of the Copa Libertadores, CONMEBOL's premier annual international club tournament....
2Includes results from CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2005
CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2005
The 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup was the 40th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CONCACAF region , the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The tournament was also a qualifying event for the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship...
3Includes results from 2000 U.S. Cup
2000 Nike U.S. Cup
The 2000 Nike United States Cup , a Nike-sponsored, United States Soccer Federation -organized international football tournament, took place in June 2000. It was the seventh and last U.S. Cup in the series, which began in 1992....
National championships
- 2 Primera División de MéxicoPrimera División de MéxicoThe Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
(UNAMClub Universidad NacionalClub Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City...
, as player, seasons 1976-77 and 1980–81). - 5 La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
(Real MadridReal MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, seasons 1985-86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90). - 2 Copas del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
(Atlético Madrid 1985; Real MadridReal MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
1989). - 4 Supercopas de EspañaSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
(Atlético Madrid 1985; Real MadridReal MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
1988, 1989 and 1990).
International cups
- 1 UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
(Real MadridReal MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, season 1985-86). - 2 CONCACAF Champions' Cup (UNAMClub Universidad NacionalClub Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City...
1980, Club AméricaClub AméricaClub América is a Mexican Professional football club based in Mexico City. It competes in the Primera División, the top professional league in the country. The team's nickname is Las Águilas ....
1992). - 1 Copa InteramericanaCopa InteramericanaCopa Interamericana was a football trophy contested between the champions of CONMEBOL's Copa Libertadores de América and the winners of CONCACAF's Champions' Cup...
(UNAMClub Universidad NacionalClub Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City...
1981). - 1 CONCACAF Gold CupCONCACAF Gold CupThe CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
(Mexico national football teamMexico national football teamThe Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
1977).
Individual honours
- 1 European Golden BootEuropean Golden BootThe European Golden Shoe, formerly known as the European Golden Boot, is an association football award presented each season to the leading goalscorer in league matches from the top division of every European national league...
(season 1989-90). - 5 Pichichis (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990 with Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid).
- Top scorer of the Mexican LeaguePrimera División de MéxicoThe Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
(1979). - 2 times Don Balon Award, for being the best foreign player in the Spanish LeagueLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
(1987 and 1990). - Best SportSportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
ist of MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
of the 20th century. - Best footballer of MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
of the 20th century according to IFFHSInternational Federation of Football History & StatisticsThe International Federation of Football History & Statistics is an organization that chronicles the history and records of Association football. It was founded on 27 March 1984 at Leipzig by Dr. Alfredo Pöge with the blessings of general secretary of the FIFA at the time, Dr. Helmut Käser...
. - Best footballer of North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Central AmericaCentral AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
of the 20th century by IFFHSInternational Federation of Football History & StatisticsThe International Federation of Football History & Statistics is an organization that chronicles the history and records of Association football. It was founded on 27 March 1984 at Leipzig by Dr. Alfredo Pöge with the blessings of general secretary of the FIFA at the time, Dr. Helmut Käser...
. - Only Mexican who appeared in PeléPeléHowever, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
's 125 Top Living Football Players ListFIFA 100The FIFA 100 is a list of the world-renowned Brazilian striker Pelé's choice of the "greatest living footballers". Unveiled on 4 March 2004 at a gala ceremony in London, the FIFA 100 marked part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de...
in March 2004. - La Liga Best Replacement Manager 2008-2009.
Honours as a Coach
- 2 Primera División de MéxicoPrimera División de MéxicoThe Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
(UNAMClub Universidad NacionalClub Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City...
Clausura 2004 and Apertura 2004). - 1 Trofeo Santiago BernabéuTrofeo Santiago BernabéuThe Santiago Bernabéu Trophy or Santiago Bernabéu Cup is dedicated to the memory of long-time Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu. It is a friendly tournament organised each year by Real Madrid at the beginning of the season, somewhere around the end of August or the beginning of...
(UNAMClub Universidad NacionalClub Universidad Nacional A.C., more commonly known as Pumas de la UNAM, or just Pumas, is a Mexican professional football club based in Mexico City...
).
Personal life
Sánchez is the son of Héctor Sánchez, who played for Asturias and AtlanteAtlante F.C.
Club de Fútbol Atlante, is a Mexican professional football club, currently playing in the Mexican First Division League. The club is based in Cancún, Mexico as of the start of the 2007-08 season, when they relocated from Mexico City, and plays its home games in Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo.-Domestic...
. Hugo Sánchez is married to Isabel Martín and has two children, a son and an older daughter from his previous marriage. His son, Hugo Sánchez Portugal
Hugo Sánchez Portugal
Hugo Sánchez Portugal is sports commentator with Televisa Deportes in Mexico. He is the son of Mexican football legend Hugo Sánchez, former manager of the Mexican national team....
was a football player and has played in UNAM Pumas like him.
Sánchez was appointed as the official FIFA/SOS Ambassador for Mexico, joining Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
(Ambassador for England), Ruud van Nistelrooy
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooy, , is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Málaga CF in Spain's La Liga. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals...
(Netherlands), and fifty others in fund raising for the official 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
Charity.
On September 1, 2007 Hugo Sanchez inaugurated a street with his name in Puebla, central Mexico, before a thousand of the locals around there.