El Gusano Napoles

Gustavo Napoles, better known as El Gusano for his breakdancing worm celebration after scoring a goal, was not much of a player but in one game managed to get in the record books and ascend to Legend status. Indeed, Chivas tenth league championship will forever be linked to the legendary Gusano Napoles!

Napoles etched his name in the record books during the 1997 Verano League Championship final, at the Jalisco Stadium, by scoring four goals; because a hat-trick would not be enough, to help Chivas defeat Toros Neza 6-1 and win the league title.

And that is all it took for Napoles who after his glorious game with Chivas faded into obscurity. Napoles even managed to land in the Ecuadorian league and play with Espoli. Ten years after el Gusano's goal scoring feat, a first for the Mexican League which has yet to be equalled, Napoles hanged up his boots while playing for Tigrillos in the Mexican second-division. Years will go by and stars will be added to the Chivas badge but the tenth star will forever be reserved for el Gusano.

Miguel Layún

Miguel Layún has become the lastest Mexican to venture abroad after his surprise transfer from second division side Veracruz to Serie A outfit Atalanta.

After a month long trial with the Bergamo club Layún managed to convince Atalanta boss Angelo Gregucci and will be signed on a two-year loan deal.

In Nery we Trust

The biggest surprise in Javier Aguirre's recent call-up for the CONCACAF Hexagonal match against rivals the United States was the inclusion of Nery Castillo. The Shaktar Donesek striker has yet to play a league game this season and will most likely not be match fit. So why does Aguirre continue to include Nery in the Tricolor roster?

There is obviously strong influences within the FMF to have the controversial striker in the national team. Nery's participation with the Tricolor is the only thing keeping him in the spotlight. Two years ago Castillo exploded into the scene with a magnificent participation at the 2007 Copa America. His goal against Brazil in Mexico's opening game is nothing but Epic.

Still, it has been a downhill ride for Castillo ever since he made the switch from Olympiakos to Shaktar. Life in Ukrain has been harsh for Nery who little by little has begun losing his joy for the game. Nery continues to be a valuable asset for the Tricolor but unless he can find regular playing time he will soon run out of valid reasons to be part of the national team.

Omar Bravo

For many years Omar Bravo was Chivas de Guadalajara's poster boy. The Sinaloa native was one of the first top prospects to come out of the club's newly restructured Youth System. And after seven years at the Guadalajara institition Bravo etched his name in the club's history annals by becoming the first Chivas player, in over 50 years, to win a league goal-scoring title and the second Guadalajara striker to score 100 goals; only behind legend Salvador Reyes who has 122 goals.

Bravo, believing that he had already completed his cycle with Guadalajara, decided to try his luck abroad and signed for La Liga outfit Deportivo La Coruna. The move would prove to be disasterous and the striker would soon have a devastating drop in form turning him into a shadow of his former self. Bravo's loan to relegation threatened Tigres only worsen his condition and the striker now finds himself without an idea of what the future holds for him.

The Gold Cup was supposed to help Barvo regain his form and serve as a showcase for interested clubs. That however never happened and Bravo after only making two appearances dissapeared from the Tricolor line up. Rumors of a possible injury abound but nothing has been confirmed. Deportivo La Coruna boss Miguel Angel Lotina does not want the player and his chances of returning to Mexico appear to be slim to none. Where ever Bravo ends up I can only wish him luck.

The Dynamic Duo

Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela first made their mark at the international stage in 2005 when they helped Mexico obtain the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Their display in the final against Brazil was a joy to behold with Vela opening the scoring sheet with a diving header off a Dos Santos cross.

After their glory in Peru and despite playing in diffrent clubs destiny would keep them close to each other. While Giovani plied his trade in Barcelona Vela lingered in nearby Salamanca and then Osasuna. After Vela made his move to London to play for Arsenal so did Giovani to play with cross town rivals Tottenham Hottspurs.

Vela's and Gio's transition to the senior national team, however, left much to be desired as the duo suffered to adjust to a more challanging atmosphere. Still, the Duo was set to shine and in the 2009 Gold Cup final orchestrated the massacre of an inexperienced USMNT side that allowed the Tricolor to put an end to their rivals undefeated streak in American soil.

Vela's partnership with Gio gives the Tricolor a Strike Force not seen since the days of Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Luis “Matador” Hernandez. Even better the Dynamic Duo will be playing together a lot longer and should prove to be more lethal.

Memo Ochoa

Guillermo Ochoa has been patiently waiting for his turn in the National teams posts since the start of the new World Cup cycle. Four coaches and three years later and Memo has finally gotten his chance to start for the National Team on a consistent basis.

Needles to say Ochoa has been flawless in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tourney and his penalty kick save against Froyland Ledezma, to help Mexico advance to the final, proves that he is not only ready to become the Tricolors first-choice keeper but is also a contributing factor to the teams success.

Pablo Barrera

My beloved Chivas have been hoping to sign Pablo Barrera for quite some time now and with his latest run with the National Team I no longer see that happening.

Barrera's lastest goal, an 82nd minute world class voley to seal Mexico's four-nil victory over Haiti, is testament of what the Pumas upstart is capable of.

Voitelas

Jorge Vergara has done it again, gone against his promises of not messing with Guadalajara's history, and allowed Reebok to impose some simnplistic changes to the club's glorious badge. My first reactions were of rage and hate. However, I have calmed down and thought things through.

It has been no secret that in the past years the memebers of the old Chivas guard, the ones that were ousted from the club when Vergara became the owner, have been trying to sue the club in an attempt to recover what they believe still belongs to them; even if their poor handeling of the team lead the club to be sold.

In that case it makes sense to make slight modifications to the clubs badge and avoid another law suit. What angers me, however, is how Vergara tried to sell off the modifications as an evolution of the badge's design when at first glance they make the new badge look like a poor pirate copy of Chivas original logo.

Gerardo Torrado

Gerardo Torrado's goal, in the 41st minute, paved the way for Mexico's unconvincing 2-0 victory over Guadeloupe. The Cruz Azul midfielder has not been playing atop his form but is slowly proving why he is the team captain.

Miguel Sabah

Miguel Sabah's nineth minute strike helped Mexico earn a one-goal draw against Panama in their second match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Despite scoring the opener the Morelia striker was subbed out at second-half.

Such has been the fate of Sabah who has come along way since the days of Chivas Tijuana. Despite being one of the most consistent Mexican strikers he remains underated and his bad luck with the national team only adds to the cause.

Alberto "Venado" Medina

At one point in his career Alberto "Venado" Medina was Mexico's top prospect until a brutal knee injury almost put an end to his young career.

Since then Medina has remained a clutch player for Chivas de Guadalajara. His two assists in Mexico's two-nil Gold Cup victory over Group C rivals Nicaragua have once again given him hope to fight for a spot in the national team.