Where Jorge Campos Ranks on List of Mexico's Best Goalkeepers

Jorge Campos' flamboyant uniforms and fabulous dives put him in the limelight in the 1990s. He is just one of a fair amount of talented Mexican goalkeepers—a position in which El Tri have excelled regularly.

Mexico have rarely suffered when it comes to picking a skillful goalie. Actually, several coaches have struggled to choose their starting keeper, because they have had more good performances than failures.

For instance, manager Miguel Herrera was immersed in that kind of issue just weeks before the 2014 World Cup kickoff.

El Piojo told Mexican website MedioTiempo.com (in Spanish) that picking Guillermo Ochoa ahead of Jesus Corona was so tough that he had to ask the defenders' opinions.

In remembrance of Campos' 10-year retirement anniversary, here's where he ranks on Mexico's best goalkeepers list.

5. Jaime Gomez

Jaime Gomez played with Guadalajara, in the Campeonisimo era. He is widely remembered because in a local league match he started reading a magazine in the middle of the game (in Spanish).

El Tubo also appeared with the Mexico national team nine times. He was an undisputed starter in the 1956 Panamerican Championship.

He made the Mexico team that played the 1958 and the 1962 World Cups, but he didn't play since Ignacio Trelles and Antonio Lopez, then-El Tri coaches, picked Antonio Carbajal to start every game.

Gomez was a superb leader. He organized the defense easily, despite the rivals' pressure.

4. Ignacio Calderon

Associated Press

Ignacio Calderon was a stalwart for Guadalajara from the early '60s to the mid-70s.

He secured three Liga MX championships (formerly Primera Division) with Chivas. His performance with the club earned him his first cap with the national team in 1965.

With El Tri, Calderon was capped 60 times and started 58 games. His most successful tenure came between 1966 and 1972, under the command of Trelles, Raul Cardenas and Javier de la Torre.

In World Cups, El Cuate went unbeaten for 310 minutes (three-and-a-half games), setting a record for Mexican goalkeepers, which stands to this day.

3. Oswaldo Sanchez

Oswaldo Sanchez appeared 99 times with the Mexico national team in a 15-year span. In that period, he only failed to make the squad in 2000 and 2010.

Sanchez appeared in two Gold Cups (1996 and 2003), in two editions of the Copa America and in three Confederations Cups; in 2005, he was picked as the event's best goalkeeper (in Spanish).

Although he made the 23-man list for the 1998 and the 2002 World Cups, it wasn't until 2006 that he secured the starting spot.

In the local league, Sanchez received the best goalkeeper award (in Spanish) seven times and was recognized as the best player of the tournament twice.

With Guadalajara, he won the 2006 Apertura championship, and with Santos Laguna, he won the 2008 and the 2012 Clausura tournaments.

2. Antonio Carbajal

Carbajal was the first footballer in history to appear in five World Cups.

His first call-up for the senior team arrived in 1950—at age 20 and just two years after the 1948 Summer Olympics, in which he allowed three goals.

Dubbed El Cinco Copas (the five cups), Carbajal played 46 matches with El Tri—a total of 4,140 minutes on the pitch.

Overall, he appeared in 11 World Cup games: three in 1950, one in 1954, three in 1958, three in 1962 and one in 1966.

His club career was not as successful, and he only wore two kits in his 18-year career: Club Espana and Leon.

1. Jorge Campos

Campos started his career as a striker; however, he left his job in the attacking zone after his debut season.

Despite being one of the shortest keepers of his era (5'8''), Campos' aerial game was strong, plus he was one of the first Mexican goalies who played the ball with his feet accurately.

Beyond his colorful kits, the Acapulco-born footballer made quite an impression in the 1994 and the 1998 World Cups. He won the 1999 Confederations Cup, the 1993 and the 1996 Gold Cups and the 1999 Pan American Games.

He won the Citlali (Mexican Football Awards) as the best goalkeeper a record five times (successive).

Internationally, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFHHS) picked him as the third-best goalkeeper of 1993.

In the local league, he played for UNAM, Atlante, Cruz Azul and Puebla. He was one of the first Mexicans to play in the MLS (LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire).

All stats appear courtesy of FEMEXFUT (in Spanish), unless otherwise noted.

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