Miguel Herrera

Lore & Background

Herrera made his debut in 1985 with Segunda División side Deportivo Neza. Originally a forward, he switched to playing as a defender after his move to Tecos UAG in 1987. He made his debut in the Primera División on May 22, 1988, in a 2–0 loss to Atlas. He was transferred to Santos Laguna in 1988, making 30 appearances and scoring four goals. He had his first stint with Atlante in 1989, making 36 appearances and scoring four goals before moving to Querétaro in 1990. He again transferred to Atlante in 1991, and won his first league title during the 1992–93 season after defeating Monterrey in the finals by a 4–0 aggregate score. He would remain at the club until 1995, making 125 appearances and scoring nine goals. Herrera was then sold to Toros Neza, with whom he would play in his second league final during the "Verano '97" season, ultimately losing to Guadalajara by an aggregate score of 7–2. In 1999, Herrera returned to Atlante for a third time before officially retiring in 2000. As a manager, he led Club América to two league championships: the 2013 Apertura (winning 4–2 on penalties after a 2–2 aggregate tie) and the 2018 Apertura (winning 2–0 on aggregate over Cruz Azul).

In Their Own Story

The tunnel at the Estadio Azteca smelled of deep heat and sweat. Herrera stood at the halfway line, arms crossed, jaw tight. The ball was in the air, a set piece, ninety-third minute. He didn't shout. He never had to. The players read his eyes the way a sailor reads the sky. The header came in—blue and white, roaring, a wall of bodies throwing themselves at the ball. The net rippled. Herrera didn't celebrate. He walked to the touchline, pulled off his cap, and pressed it to his forehead. Behind him, thirty thousand voices were a single sustained note. He let it wash over him, then turned back to the pitch, already calculating the next press, the next tackle, the next war. That was Herrera. That was América.

Reader's Guide

Herrera's playing career spanned from 1985 to 2000, during which he played as a forward and later as a defender. He won one league title as a player with Atlante in 1992–93. As a manager, his most notable achievements came with Club América, where he won two league titles (2013 Apertura and 2018 Apertura). He also managed Mexico at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, leading them to the round of 16, and later managed Costa Rica's national team.

Did You Know?

• Herrera originally played as a forward before switching to defender after moving to Tecos UAG in 1987.
• He earned 14 caps for Mexico and played in the 1993 Copa América, where Mexico finished as runners-up.
• As a manager, Herrera led Club América to two league titles, including the 2013 Apertura won on penalties after a dramatic comeback.
• He was the head coach of Mexico at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the round of 16.