Five Legendary Players You Might Not Know Played in Liga MX

Liga MX isn’t a league historically linked with attracting big name stars or world class caliber talents, but throughout the decades, Mexico’s top-flight has been the destination for some absolute legends of the game to showcase their talent—or what’s left of it.

In most cases, whenever former stars arrive in Liga MX, their stints in the league are brief. Others fail to meet the expectations placed on their shoulders upon arrival. A select feww, though, manage to enjoy a successful stay in the division.

Recently, the former Real Madrid duo of Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez left Liga MX after one year, same as former Newcastle United star Allan Saint-Maximin, who left after six months.

On the other hand, players such as former Man United star Antony Martial and Champions League winner Keylor Navas are currently competing in the Clausura 2026 season.

Gradually, more established stars are slowly starting to gravitate to Liga MX. Here, we look back at the soccer greats you might not know graced the pitch in Mexico’s top-flight.

5. Landon Donovan

Liga MX team: Club León (2018)

Arguably the greatest player in U.S. men’s national team history, Landon Donovan wrote the final chapter of his career playing for Club León in Liga MX. After almost two years of inactivity, León signed Donovan for the Clausura 2018 season—and it went as well as you might expect.

Donovan played just 156 minutes across eight games in his lone season for León. At 36 years old, the USMNT legend looked like a shell of himself, managing just one start and not a single goal contribution before retiring for good at the end of the season.

As lackluster as it might’ve been, Donovan had nothing but good things to say about his stint in Liga MX, and it was rather poetic that one of Mexico’s historical villains at the international stage opted to end his career playing on the country’s soil.

4. Emilio Butragueño

Liga MX team: Celaya (1995–98)

Emilio Butragueño played for only two teams in his illustrious career: Real Madrid and the now extinct Liga MX club Toros de Celaya. After 12 brilliant seasons with Los Blancos, “El Buitre” spent the final three seasons of his career with Atlético Celaya, eventually joined by fellow Real Madrid players Hugo Sánchez and Michel.

During his three seasons in Mexico, Butragueño nearly led Celaya to glory during the 1995–96 campaign, losing in the final against Necaxa. In fact, Butragueño missed a clear chance in the final that could’ve titled the tide in Celaya’s favor, a miss he’s since revealed ”is an action that will haunt me the rest of my life.”

The legendary Spaniard scored 21 goals in 91 games for Celaya, becoming a cult hero for the club that disappeared in 2002. A new version of the club returned and are currently playing in Mexico’s third-tier, but they can always say they one had one of the greatest Real Madrid players of all time in their ranks.

3. Eusebio

Liga MX team: Monterrey (1975–76)

Eusebio is widely recognized as one of the greatest players to ever live, and back in 1975, he unquestionably became the first world class star to land in Liga MX, and still arguably is the best player to join the league.

The legendary Portuguese joined Monterrey for the 1975–76 season at 33 years old. He played 10 games and scored one goal in his lone season, as Monterrey fell in the semifinals against Chivas.

Unfortunately, a knee injury denied Eusebio from showcasing his full potential for Rayados, but the all-time great later admitted, “My time in Monterrey was fantastic and phenomenal. An experience that was magnificent from the start.”

Still, his arrival marked the start of a new era for Monterrey, who are now known for attracting star-caliber players to their ranks, with Ramos and Martial being the latest examples.

2. Pep Guardiola

Liga MX team: Dorados de Sinaloa (2006)

Now Man City manager Pep Guardiola ended his playing career in Liga MX with Dorados de Sinaloa. The former Barcelona star joined Dorados after a stint in Qatar, joining a club that was headlined by Uruguay striker and 2010 World Cup cult hero Sebastián "El Loco” Abreú.

The midfield maestro didn’t give any lessons in Liga MX, playing just 10 games and scoring one goal during his six months with Dorados, where he and the club were relegated from Liga MX and Guardiola called it a career.

Interestingly, Guardiola later admitted that his Dorados manager Juan Manuel Lillo is,“alongside Johan Cruyff, the two managers from whom I learned the most.”

Lillo himself revealed that during his time managing Guardiola, he considered him almost as an extra assistant coach. Two years after Guardiola left Dorados, he was appointed as Barcelona’s manager ahead of the 2008–09 season. And the rest is history.

1. Ronaldinho

Liga MX team: Querétaro (2014–15)

In arguably the most bizarre transfer in Liga MX history, modest side Querétaro signed Brazilian legend Ronaldinho ahead of the Apertura 2014 season. Ronaldinho’s one year stint with Querétaro proceeded to be an absolutely memorable rollercoaster.

Disciplinary issues accumulated in bunches during Ronaldinho’s Liga MX career, often missing training sessions for unexpectedly deciding to fly back to Brazil or simply for spending too much time out on the town. He was twice suspended by manager Víctor Manuel Vucetich, but when Ronaldinho focused on delivering results on the pitch, he showed glimpses of his unparalleled greatness.

Ronaldinho scored eight goals and assisted another eight across 29 games donning Querétaro’s shirt. He had a few memorable performances as well, scoring a free kick in his debut against Chivas and famously bagging a stellar brace in an eight-minute cameo against Club América, dancing in celebration as he earned a standing ovation from a packed Estadio Azteca.

In his second and final season, Ronaldinho helped Querétaro reach their first ever Liga MX final. “Los Gallos Blancos” fell to Santos Laguna 5–3 on aggregate in the Clausura 2015 final, and that was the last game Ronaldinho played in Liga MX.

It was short, it was far from perfect and he was no longer at the peak of his powers. Still, Ronaldinho’s Querétaro career remains one of the most iconic chapters of Liga MX folklore.

5. Landon Donovan

4. Emilio Butragueño

3. Eusebio

2. Pep Guardiola

1. Ronaldinho

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