How many Mexican soccer players play in European clubs?

One of the objectives of Mexican soccer has been to export players to Europe. Over the years, both Liga MX and other leagues have brought Mexican players closer to different leagues. This is not only true for the men's category, but also for the women's category.

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Nowadays, Mexican soccer players have more resources to leave Mexico and try their luck in Europe, which is why they are leaving more frequently to pursue a career at the highest soccer level.

Spain is currently the country in Europe with the highest number of players from Mexico. In total, there are 64 Mexican players in the different categories of soccer in the old continent, although not all of them have chosen to defend the Mexican jersey. On the other hand, in the women's league, there are seven players in the different leagues in Europe. Here are some of the most outstanding.

Andrés Guardado

Andrés Guardado has played more than 500 games in Europe and reaffirms his position as the Mexican with the most games played in the 'Old Continent'.

His career in Spain, Germany and Holland has earned him the respect of his teammates and eventually led him to become one of the captains of the Mexican National Team.

However, despite the length of his career and how important he has been for Mexican soccer, Guardado was left on the verge of making one last leap to a big club in Europe, since at 35 years of age, it seems that the end of his career is near and that he will be with Real Betis until 2023, when his contract expires.

Raúl Jimenez

On August 13, 2014, Club Atlético de Madrid announced the signing of Rául for 10.5 million euros from Club América.

After a period without much opportunity in Spain, he would be loaned to Benfica of Portugal a year later. On August, 2015, the signing of Jimenez was made official for around nine million euros in a 5-year contract, where Benfica acquired 50% of his rights. Raul enjoyed more minutes in Portugal and was able to make a good impression on other European teams.

In June 2018, Benfica loaned Raul to Wolverhampton Wanderers, a team —at the time— newly promoted to the Premier League, on a season-long loan for a cost of €3 million, with a termination clause of €38 million.

It was there where Raúl discovered his true potential, becoming one of the Premier League's top scorers and an idol for the Wolverhampton club.

After a serious skull injury, Jimenez has not been able to recover his level and is still trying to consolidate himself in Europe.

Edson Álvarez

Another player coming from Club America, in July 2019 his transfer to Ajax Amsterdam of the Eredivisie was completed, club that paid a sum of €15 million.

This year Edson Álvarez closed the best season in the end of the Eredivisie, and after 34 matches, ‘El Machín' won his second Dutch league title and thus managed to consolidate himself Europe in the face of a transfer market that can lead him to a new destination.

The Mexican midfielder, after three tournaments, won not only the confidence of his then coach Erik ten Hag, who joined Manchester United, but also won the hearts of the fans of the Amsterdam team.

He played 31 league games and started 28 of them, accumulating 2,339 minutes and averaging 75 minutes per game, which was the longest playing time of his career.

Álvarez's good performance has not gone unnoticed, as several rumors have emerged from Europe about his continuity in the Dutch team, as reports indicate that clubs such as Manchester United or Milan are following his steps.

Which Mexican players have made history in Europe?

Without a doubt, Hugo Sánchez and Rafael Márquez are the most successful Mexicans during their time in Europe, both in Spain. Hugo Sanchez became a top figure at Real Madrid winning several goalscoring titles and Rafael Marquez at Barcelona winning 12 titles including two Champions League titles.

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