The Mexico national football team has historically experienced mixed fortunes in terms of success on the global stage.
During South American competitions in particular they have enjoyed victories across the Confederations Cup, multiple triumphs in CONCACAF Gold Cups and even come close to glory in the Copa America. Yet they have never progressed further than the Quarter final stages of any FIFA World Cup to date.
Despite varying levels of consistency at international level, Mexico have regularly produced a notable caliber of striker and throughout their century long history boast some of the best forwards to ever grace the game.
Let’s explore the top five Mexican strikers of all-time.
5. Luis Hernandez
Luis Hernandez scored 35 goals in 85 caps for Mexico over a seven-year period and sits fourth on the list of his country’s all-time top goalscorers. The striker’s best year on the international stage was 1998 when he netted sixteen times in 18 appearances.
At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he finished among the competition’s top scorers with four goals and became the first Mexican player to score more than two goals at a World Cup tournament. Hernandez struck four times in the Gold Cup and converted the only goal in the final vs United States.
He lifted the FIFA Confederation Cup in 1999 and the Gold Cup twice in 1996 and 1998. Hernandez was Mexico’s top scorer at the 1997 Copa América and golden boot winner at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1998.
For his club sides, Hernandez scored 132 goals in 362 games and won the Mexican Primera División twice with Necaxa.
4. Javier Hernandez
Javier Hernandez remains Mexico’s all-time record goalscorer with 52 international strikes in 109 matches. His peak years were 2010 and 2011 during a breakthrough debut season with Manchester United.
‘Chicarito’ was electric at both the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in which Mexico reached the last 16 and their Gold Cup victory. He registered 23 goals in the space of a single calendar year that accounted for over half of his international goals.
He helped his country secure the CONCACAF Cup in 2015 and with club side Manchester United won the Premier League twice before a well-deserved high-profile move to Real Madrid.
Hernandez scored a total of 195 goals in 505 career appearances.
3. Jared Borgetti
Jared Borgetti enjoyed a stellar international career, scoring 46 goals in 89 caps to become Mexico’s second highest ever goalscorer. He also helped Mexico to the CONCACAF Gold Cup title in 2003.
2004 and 2005 proved to be his finest years for the national team, registering 19 goals and being named top scorer during 2006 CONCACAF FIFA World Cup qualification.
Borgetti won two Mexican Primera División titles in 1996 and 2001. He remains Santos Laguna’s all-time top scorer with 205 goals and registered a total of 299 in 587 matches.
2. Carlos Hermosilio
Scoring 35 goals in 90 apps, Hermosillo is joint fourth most prolific forward in Mexico’s history. His best period came in 1997 when he found the net seven times in a calendar year.
Hermosillo became the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup Golden Boot winner in both 1996 and 1997. He was also awarded the Copa México Golden Boot twice. Hermosillo is the proud owner of seven Mexican football honours including two Primera División titles from 1983 to 1985.
He was also named Mexican top flight Golden Boot winner across consecutive seasons in 1993/94, 1994/95 and 1995/96. The striker scored a total of 309 goals in 537 games.
1. Hugo Sanchez
The greatest striker in the history of Mexican international football is Hugo Sanchez. He scored 29 goals in just 58 appearances for his country and is their seventh highest goalscorer of all time.
Sanchez helped Mexico win the Pan American Games in 1975 and CONCACAF Championship two years later. His best period for the national team arrived in 1980 when he netted seven times including three strikes during 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualifying matches.
The forward enjoyed an exceptional club career and perhaps the finest of any player from his nation. After success in the Mexican Primera División, where he won the Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer in 1978/79, Sanchez moved to La Liga after signing for Real Madrid.
Sanchez won five consecutive Spanish League titles from 1985 to 1990, three Supercopa de España trophies in a row, the Copa del Rey and 1986 UEFA Cup. He was also La Liga’s top scorer in all of Los Blancos title winning campaigns and proud owner of the European Golden Shoe in 1990. The Mexican ended his spectacular career with 485 goals in 823 games.
