5 brilliant players who are simply too good to be playing in Mexico

Former Manchester United, Newcastle United and Real Madrid stars are among the five brilliant players who are simply too good to be playing in Mexico.

Mexico’s reputation as a hugely passionate football country, its impressive stadiums and some of the highest wages outside of Europe means that some familiar names populate the Liga MX.

We’ve taken a closer look at the league and have found five players who we believe are simply too good to be playing in Mexico.

Salomon Rondon

Adored by Newcastle and West Brom fans, peak Rondon was a proper target man and perfect for a team crawling their way towards 40 points and Premier League survival.

Nowadays, the big Venezuelan is playing for Pachuca and has since scored 26 goals in 47 games. Lovely numbers.

Javier Hernandez

Chicharito is the poacher’s poacher, as fans of Manchester United will attest during his successful spell at Old Trafford.

The Guadalajara Inzaghi is back in his hometown, returning at the beginning of 2024 after leaving for United 14 years ago.

The 36-year-old has one goal in 19 appearances for his old/new club, but we can’t resist picturing him banging them in for a lowly Premier League club in his mid-30s.

QUIZ: Can you name every player from Mexico to score a Premier League goal?

Oussama Idrissi

Idrissi made his name in the Eredivisie with Groningen and AZ Alkmaar before earning a move to serial Europa League winners Sevilla in 2020.

Sadly, the move to Spain failed to pay dividends for the talented winger who was loaned out three times before being sold to Pachuca in 2023.

The 28-year-old has taken to Mexican football like a duck to water with 11 goals and 19 assists in 55 appearances, hinting at Idrissi’s latent talent.

READ NEXT: The 16 stadiums that will host 2026 World Cup matches including the Estadio Azteca

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every country to compete at a FIFA World Cup?

Sergio Canales

Canales was considered a future Real Madrid star after joining in 2010, but his silky footwork didn’t win over Jose Mourinho and the playmaker spent most of his career at Valencia, Real Sociedad and Real Betis.

He’s not in Spain anymore, though, with him now doing the business for Monterrey.

Since moving to Mexico in 2023, the Spaniard has scored 23 goals in 69 games, despite not being a striker. He could definitely still kill it in a top European league.

Jesus Manuel Corona

Part of the exciting, if infuriating, Mexico side that graced the 2018 World Cup, Corona also enjoyed a solid club career in Europe with Porto and Sevilla.

Now in his early 30s, the winger has returned to his first club Monterrey and helped them finish second in the Liga MX in 2023.