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| Coordinates | 37°46′45.48″N122°25′9.12″N |
|---|---|
| Current | Club León season Apertura 2009 |
Club León, (simply known as León) is a Mexican professional football club and very popular with a great history in the first division of Mexican Football, based in the city of Leon, in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. They currently play in the Liga De Ascenso formerly known as "primera A", the second tier of football in Mexico since their relegation from the Primera Division (first tier) in 2002.
León has won the Primera División title five times, in 1948, 1949, 1952, 1956 and 1992. They became the first Mexican "Campeonísimo" (winner of the League and the México Cup in the same year) in 1949. In 1993 Leon was the CONCACAF Champions' Cup runner-up, losing the final match against contender Deportivo Saprissa, of Costa Rica, which would become one of the greatest upsets in the vast collection of defeats in the club's history. They also qualified to the Champion's Cup again in 1998, but were miserably eliminated in the semi-final. The team has been a consistent contender for the Primera División A title since relegation from the Primera División in 2002, nevertheless they have failed to obtain the promotion due to constant mediocre performances in the playoffs as opposed to their usual good appearances during regular season. They are always favorites every year to be champions in the Liga de Ascenso and return to the Primera Division. Leon is ranked 29th in the IFFHS Central and North America's best clubs of the 20th century being the only team in all the region playing in the second division of the professional first leagues in CONCACAF.
It was till 1922 when León Atlético who had previously just played friendly matches against Club Irapuato due to the lack of opponents and the close relationship both clubs had .That year various clubs were establish like Nacional and Obrero in order to establish a n amateur league in the state of Guanajuato,León Atlético took home that first champion in 1924 .
In 1928 Unión de Curtidores was establish and quickly became a rival to León Atlético .Unión de Curtidores also gain supporter around the city and became the city's most important club bringing in big clubs from Mexico City for friendly matches which included Necaxa and Club America.Unión de Curtidores was made up great local players such as Chueco Martínez, Manuel Tío Ramírez, Zenón Falcón and Tomás Medina.In 1943 Unión de Curtidores try to enroll in the Primera División de México which had just become professionalize, the club send Antoio Morales in order to sing and see the requirements for the enrollment that year.The club id not take part of the first tournament held in 1943 and for the 1944 tournament Unión de Curtidores and the Selección de Guanajuato merge in order to join the Primera División de México this new club became known as Union Leon.The club started saleing club stcock shares i order to form a competitive club as well as to pay for the expensive.That forst squad was made up of Marcial Ortiz, Raúl Varela, Alfonso Montemayor, Salvador Ramírez and Conrado Muñiz, Vicente Serrano, Pepe Cortes, ans Palitos Ramírez with Duilio Dobles and Joaquín Fuente as trainers.
In 1946 -47 the club singed well know players such as Adalberto López who went on to become the first Mexican goalscoring champion that year scoring 33 for the club.The club had its best year finishing runner up to Atlante F.C. who they would face in the last round on June 1, 1947 in the Estadio de los insurgentes now know as the Estadio Azul.that gamed ended in a 0-0 draw that would give Atlante the title with 42 points just one more than Leon who ended up with 41.That year the club had had a streak of 14 games without a loss with 11 wins and 3 draws.Another important player that year was Marcos Aurelio who scored 16 goals.This year is also remember for what happen on May 9, 1946 in a match the club played against Club America in Mexico City where the Argentine Florencio Caffarattti accidentally touch a down cable that fell behind the goalkeepers Ned after noticing what was happening Alfonso Montemayor rush and pull Florencio saving the players life.After words Florencio Caffarattti would give a golden coin to Alfonso Montemayorwhich read "F. Caffaratti en agradecimiento a Montemayor"(F. Caffaratti is very grateful).
In the 1948-49 Leon became the first club since the professionalization of the league to win back 2back league titles once again under the care of José Maria Casullo who had to overcome the departures of some of the clubs best players Ángel Fernández, and Marcos Aurelio.This year the clubs and one of the nation bets player made its debut on Antonio Carbajal with Real Club España on December 2 948.The title was decided in the second to last round after the club defeated Mexico City club Asturias F.C. 2-1 with 2 goals by Adalberto López and so pulling away from runner ups C.D. Guadalajara and Club Atlas who would go on to finishing 1 pint behind Leon.That year the club became the first Campeonísimo after the club won that years Copa Mexico title on 3-0 against Atlante FC on August 14, 1949.Marcos Aurelio also won its 3th consecutive Goalscoriung title that year after scoring 28 and becoming the first to achieve that task.
In the 1949-50 tournament the club finished third in the league with 31 points 8 points behind Club Deportivo Veracruz.Marcos Aurelio kept up his production scoring 29 goals finishing just 1 goals short from Julio Aparicio player from Club Deportivo Veracruz who scored 30.
In the 1952-53 tournament the club finished 3th with 27 points .
In the 1953-54 tournament the club the club would live its worst tournament after finishing 8th with 21 points.
In the 1954-55 tournament the club finished 4th with 25 points after a complete restructure singing new players.This years also marks the first Derby against their cross town rivals Irapuato FC who had just been promoted from the Segunda División de México, that first game went to Irapuato FC with a final score of 1-0.
In the 1956-57 tournament the club finished Runner up tied to Deportivo Toluca F.C. with 30 points each and 6 points behind the champions C.D. Guadalajara who took the title with 36.That year the club when undefeated at home the club also would go on to loss the Copa Mexico final against Zacatepec.
In the 1957-58 tournament he club finished in 5th place 10 points behind the second time league champion Zacatepec.This year the club would go on to win its second Copa Mexico against Zacatepec who had beat them the year before.
In the 1958-59 tournament the club came close to winning its 5th league title after finishing runner up to C.D. Guadalajara who they managed to beat with 4 rounds left to tie with 31 points but C.D. Guadalajara would go on to win 3 out of the last 4 matches fishing 2 points ahead.This year the club would go on to loss the Copa Mexico final against Zacatepec in a trailing 2-1.
In the 1958-59 tournament the club the club finished in 4th with 30 points Carlos Alberto Etcheverry was the top goal scorer that year with 16.
In the 1961-62 the club finished in tied for 5th place with cross town rival Irapuato FC both with 25 points.
In the 1962-63 the club finished tied for 8th place with Necaxa both with 25 poinst.
In the 1963-64 the club finished tied for 7th place with the clubs from Guadalajara CD Oro and Club Atlas the 3 of them with 25 points.
In the 1964-65 the club finished would ones again finish 7th in the league with 30 points.Barbosa was the top scorer that year with 10 goals.
In the 1965-66 the club finished 9th with 28 points, Luis Estrada was the top goalscorer that year with 9.
In the 1966-67 the club finished tied for 4th place with Necaxa both with 34 points 7 less that Deportivo Toluca F.C. who won its first league title .In this year the club played its first game in their new stadium the Estadio Nou Camp.The club invited the Brazilian top club Santos FC who at the time had Pele in its arsenal to play a friendly against Argentinian club river Plate that match ended in a 2-1 victory for the Brazilian club.Leon played its first official match on October 18, 1967 against Club America.The club would also win its third Copa Mexico title after beating C.D. Guadalajara 2-1 but would go on to loss the Campeón de Campeones cup against Deportivo Toluca F.C. 1-0 who had won the league title that year.
In the 1967-68 the club finished in 5th place with 36 points 8 points shy of Deportivo Toluca F.C. who won its second consecutive title.
In the 1968-69 the club finished tied for 7th with Atlante F.C. both with 34 points.
In the 1969-70 the club finished tied for 6th place with Club America both with 31 points.Luis Estrada and Sergio Anaya' both scored 11 goals.
In the 19070-71 tournament the club brought in new players Jorge Davino, Roberto Salomone and Juan Valiente who scored 10 goals that year led again by Antonio Carbajal who managed a 4th place with 38 points.The club would go on to win their 4th Copa Mexico title that year against Zacatepec in an exciting match that would be decided by a penalty shoot out where the club mnaged to win with a 10-9.
In the 19071-72 tournament the club finished in 6th place with 35 points and would go on to win its 5th Copa Mexico title against Puebla FC in a group round tournament along with Cruz Azul and C.D. Guadalajara, also that year the club would og on to win the Campeón de Campeones against Club America.
In the 1972-73 tournament the club started of the year under the care of Antonio Carbajal who was later replace by José Gomes Nogueira who led the club to a second place finishing behind Cruz Azul.That year the club played its first playoff facing Atlético Español where the cvlub managed to come out with the victory after a 0-0 draw in the first match, and a 3-3 in the second match which send the series in to a 3 and decisive game played in Puebla where the club finally won on a penalty shoot out.The final was played against Cruz Azul the first wasp played in Leon with a 0-0 draw, the second match was played in the Estadio Azteca with another scoreless draw which send the game to a third final game played once again in the Estadio Cuauhtémoc ibn the city of Puebla were Cruz Azul finally mange to win with a score of 2-0.
In the 1974-75 tournament the club finished 8th with 40 points and fail to qualify, Roberto Salomone was the top scorer that year in the club with 18.
In the 1975-76 tournament the club finished second in group 4 with 51 points and qualify to the playoffs where they face Club Universidad de Guadalajara who would go on to beat the club 6-0 in aggregated time.
In the 1976-77 tournament the club finished third in group 1 with 39 points and fail to qualify.Alberto Jorge was the clubs top scorer with 20 that year.
In the 1977-78 tournament the club finished last in group 2 with 36 poinst ,Alberto Jorge was the to scorer with 15.
In the 1978-79 tournament Antonio Carbajal return and led the club to a 4 place in group 2 with 31 points.Kalú had the most goals that year with 12.
In the 1979-80 tournament the club finished in last place in group 2 with 29 points failing once again to reach the playoffs.
In the 1981-82 tournament the club came close to losing the category having 4 trainers that year first Walter Ormeño followed by Salvador Enríquez who was replace by Agustín Santillán, who was replace by Arpad Fekete after 4 consecutive draws scoring 0 goals .Arpad Fekete managed to safe the club from relegation and leaving it up to Club Atlas and Tampico Madero to depute.
In the 1982-83 tournament the club brought in Ricardo faccio who after started of the year with a record of o wins 3 draws and 6 losses is replace with Sergio Anaya who only coach 2 games before been replace by former trainer Gomes Nogueira who finally got a victory in the 12 round.Ruben Omar Romano scored 11 goals followed by , Zizinho with 10 goles and Víctor Rangel with 9.
In the 1983-84 tournament the club singed top goal scorer Evanivaldo Castro, he made hes debut against Tampico Madero in a 3-3 draw where he score a goal and missed a penalty shoot.The club did not improve much that year finishing last in grup 4 with a total of 32 points by means of 11 wins , 10 draws and 17 losses.The Brazilian Evanivaldo Castro was that year top scorer with 18.
In the 1984-85 tournament the club the club manage to qualify to the play poffs after finishing 2nd in group 1 with 42 points by means of 17 wins, 12 draws and 9 losses.The club faced Club Universidad de Guadalajara who they defeated in penalty shoots after a 2-2 in aggregated time. In semifinals the club was eliminated by Club Universidad Nacional 5-3 in aggregated time. Evanivaldo Castro managed to win the goalscoring title that year with 23.
For the 1985-86 tournament the league has 2 small tournament due to the 1986 world cup that was taking place in Mexico that year.In the first which was called the Prod 85 only 8 games where play with the club only obtaining 7 points finishing 15th in the league.The second tournament was named Mexico 86 where after 18 games played the club Finnish last in group 1 with 13 points.
*Primera División A: 3 ::Clausura 2003, Clausura 2004, Clausura 2008
*Segunda División: 1 ::1989-90
*Campeonísimo: 1 ::1948-49
*Cup Champion: 5 ::1948-49, 1957-58, 1966-67, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73
*Campeón de Campeones: 4 ::1947-48, 1955-56, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73
*CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 0 ::Runner-up: 1993
Leon Category:Association football clubs established in 1944
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