Liga MX Legends: Hugo Sánchez

Hugo Sánchez Márquez is a former Mexican soccer player who was born in Mexico City on July 11, 1958. He currently works as a coach and there are many rumors that he could soon become the coach of Cruz Azul.

Sánchez was, without a doubt, one of the best soccer players in the 80s. Hugo’s father, Héctor Sánchez, was a player for Asturias and Atlante. When he was fourteen years old, Hugo began making the Mexican squad for the Olympics and won the CONCACAF tournament that year. In 1976, he signed for the youth formation of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a team in which he was until 1981. Hugo Sánchez took part in the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

First Years

In October 1977, he made his debut with the absolute Mexican national team, winning the CONCACAF tournament. In the 1976-77 season, he won the first league championship in the club’s history with Pumas. Two years later he finished as the tournament’s top scorer, with 26 goals.

After five seasons at Pumas, and with 99 goals in his account, he began his career in Europe, specifically in Spanish football, first at Atlético de Madrid, which he joined in 1981 and in which, after 3 years where he was still uncomfortable in this new style of play, he managed to triumph in the 1984-85 season, winning the Copa del Rey, second place in the Spanish League and the Pichichi Trophy, thanks to the 19 goals scored in that season.

Jump to Los Blancos

That summer he was signed by Real Madrid, a team with which he would have the best stage of his sports career alongside players like José Antonio Camacho, Emilio Butragueño, Rafael Gordillo, Jorge Alberto Valdano, and Michel. With Real Madrid, Hugo Sánchez managed to win a UEFA Cup in 1986, five consecutive League titles, from 1986 to 1990, a Copa del Rey in 1989, two Spanish Super Cups, and four new Pichichi Trophies as the top scorer in the League.

In 1992 Hugo Sánchez left Real Madrid. Then he began a long journey that took him to America in Mexico and Rayo Vallecano in Spain. He then returned to Mexico again, this time to Atlante, to continue at Linz, Dallas Burn, and Atlético Celaya, where he finished his career as a footballer.

In his professional club career, Hugo Sánchez managed to score 487 goals in 824 games played, his best stage is when he played for Real Madrid, wherein 282 games played, he managed to score 208 goals.

As for the Mexican soccer team, Hugo Sánchez played a total of 58 games, where he scored 29 goals.