1963 Copa México Final vs Necaxa

Lore & Background

Founded in 1906 as Unión Football Club, the club changed its name to Guadalajara Football Club in 1908, and then changed to its current name in 1923. Nicknamed Chivas, it was one of ten founding members of the first professional and national league in Mexico, named Liga Mayor (current Liga MX). Guadalajara is one of seven Mexican clubs that have never been relegated. Chivas is the only football club in Mexico that only signs players born in Mexico or of Mexican parentage, and does not sign naturalized players who were not born Mexican or of Mexican descent. The team has historically relied on home-grown (cantera) players and has been the launching pad of many internationally successful players, including Javier Hernández, Carlos Vela and Carlos Salcido, among others.

In Their Own Story

The sun dipped low over Guadalajara, casting long shadows across the grass of Estadio Jalisco. Inside the stands, a sea of white and red swayed in anticipation. A veteran player tightened his laces, feeling the weight of the city on his shoulders. The referee's whistle cut through the humid air, signaling the start of another chapter in glory. There was no room for error; only the roar of the crowd and the promise of a trophy to bring home.

Reader's Guide

Domestically, CD Guadalajara is one of the most successful Mexican clubs, winning twelve Liga MX titles, four Copa MX titles, seven Campeón de Campeones and one Supercopa MX, and also holds the league record for the longest winning streak at the beginning of a season, with eight consecutive wins in the Bicentenario 2010. Internationally, it has won two CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League titles, and also finished as runners-up in the 2010 Copa Libertadores.

Did You Know?

• According to a study of preferred football clubs in 2016, Guadalajara was the most popular Mexican club, with 44.2% of supporters in the country.
• In 2020, Forbes estimated that the club was the most valuable of the league, ranking sixth overall in the Americas, worth approximately $311.5 million.
• Guadalajara is the only football club in Mexico that only signs players born in Mexico or of Mexican parentage, and does not sign naturalized players who were not born Mexican or of Mexican descent.