Miguel Layún
Mexican right-back who won league titles with América, Monterrey, and Porto, and was the first Mexican to play in Serie A.
Miguel Arturo Layún Prado (born 25 June 1988) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a right-back. Over the course of his 17-year career, Layún represented nine clubs across five countries. He is best remembered for his time at Club América, where he won three league titles. During his stint in Europe, he became the first Mexican footballer to play in Serie A. Later, he captured a Primeira Liga championship with Porto, and upon returning to Mexico, he added another league title with Monterrey. An international since 2013, Layún represented Mexico at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, and two CONCACAF Gold Cups, winning the 2015 edition.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Right-back; Right full-back
- Nationality
- Mexican
- Subsequent european clubs
- Sevilla FC
- Watford
- Porto
- Villarreal
- International caps
- Mexico national team
- World cup appearances
- 2014 (Brazil), 2018 (Russia)
Lore & Background
Layún began his professional career in 2006 with Gallos Caliente Tijuana, a Queretaro reserve team in Primera 'A'. He then moved to Veracruz, debuting in the Primera División during the Clausura 2007 tournament. After Veracruz was relegated, he had a successful trial with Italian club Atalanta, transferring for €625,000 and becoming the first Mexican to play in Serie A. He made only two league appearances for Atalanta before transferring to Club América in December 2009. At América, he won his first league title in the Clausura 2013 final, scoring the decisive penalty in a shoot-out against Cruz Azul. He captained América to another league title in December 2014, defeating Tigres UANL in the finals. In January 2015, he signed permanently with Watford, helping the club gain promotion to the Premier League and scoring on his Premier League debut. He then joined Porto on loan in August 2015, with the move made permanent in May 2016. He later had a loan spell at Sevilla in 2018, then joined Villarreal in July 2018. In January 2019, he moved to Monterrey, winning another league title. He returned to América in June 2021 and retired at the end of 2023 after winning the Apertura 2023 league final against Tigres UANL.
Reader's Guide
Layún was a fast player capable of attacking and defending, able to play as a left-back or right-back with equal effectiveness. He was described as 'very fast, skillful and posses a fantastic stride' and as having 'a crazy game style, powerful, fast, then slow and explosive again.' He could place centers accurately, and took free throws, corners, and penalties, and hit well from distance.
Did You Know?
- He scored four goals in a single match for América in a 4–1 victory over Santos Laguna on 26 September 2014.
- Layún is of Lebanese descent through his paternal grandfather and Spanish descent through his maternal grandfather, and holds a Spanish passport.
- He and fellow footballer José Abella are second cousins, as their grandmothers are sisters.
More in Club History
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