The shortage of Mexican-born center forwards
The phrase "Mexican-born center forwards are running out" is a cliché, but true. In the last five tournaments, only two have managed to stand out among the top ten scorers on the individual goal table. In the Apertura 2015, Omar Bravo did it with 10 goals, and in the Clausura 2017, Oribe Peralta did it with 8. The first no longer plays in our country. The second is already 33 years old, so after him, who?
In the last ten years, only three out of 14 Mexican forwards, who have excelled in the top ten of the individual goal table, are still active in the Liga Mx. They are Darío Carreño (Puebla), Alan Pulido (Chivas), and Oribe Peralta (América).
In this time, only two Mexicans have won the goal title, and only one is a center forward. The honor went to Javier Hernández, who shared the first place (with ten goals) with Hércules Gómez and Johan Fano in the Bicentenario 2010. Ángel Reyna, who focuses more on creating but also scores, distinguished himself with 13 goals in the Clausura 2011.
Undoubtedly, Peralta is the one who has shone in the offensive part, since when he has stood out among the best attackers of the tournament, he has scored 60 goals (since Apertura 2007). He usually puts pressure on foreigners. Despite his consistency in this regard, he has not been able to win the goal-scoring championship during this time. His best moment in this area was in the Apertura 2011, in which he scored ten goals, just like Uruguayan Carlos Bueno. Both were one goal behind the top scorer, Iván Alonso (Uruguayan). Likewise, in the Clausura 2017, he scored eight goals, one less than the leader Raúl Ruidíaz.
For the Clausura 2012, he scored nine goals and finished fifth. He reappeared in the Clausura 2013 with eight goals (7th place).
In the Apertura 2013, Oribe finished fourth with nine goals, three less than the first-place Uruguayan Pablo Velázquez. One year later, he scored eight goals and was four goals behind the Brazilian Camilo Sanvezzo.
Alan Pulido appeared in seventh place on the goal table with seven goals in the Apertura 2013. The former Tigres player has scored goals since his return to Mexican soccer, now wearing the Chivas jersey, but he has not been able to make it into the top ten scorers recently.
Abraham Darío Carreño also only appeared in one tournament. It was in the Bicentenario 2010 when he scored seven goals and finished sixth.
THE ONES WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE
There are players born in our country who also stood out but have already retired or emigrated to Europe. This is the case of Miguel Sabah (48), Aldo de Nigris (16), Rafael Márquez Lugo (18), Sergio Santana (9), Juan Carlos Cacho (14), Enrique Esqueda (8), and Carlos Ochoa (7).
The first one took his first steps in soccer in 2001 and ended his career in 2015, with a total of 139 goals throughout his trajectory.
From the Apertura 2007, where he scored 11 goals, he appeared in the goal-scoring tables in five tournaments and scored 46 goals. Another of his most productive tournaments was in the Clausura 2009, where he also shone with 9 goals and finished third in the goal table.
Meanwhile, Aldo de Nigris with 16 goals in ten years was also one of those who appeared, although his personal record goes beyond that figure, as he scored 116 goals in 14 years of his career. In the Apertura 2009, he scored seven goals, and in the Clausura 2012, he scored nine.
During this period, Omar Bravo scored 28 goals. Throughout his career in Mexico, he scored 181 goals.
THE 'EUROPEANS'
Javier Hernández, Raúl Jiménez, and Eduardo Herrera are three center forwards who are currently playing in European soccer. The first two have greater potential. Only the first one was a goal-scoring champion in the Liga Mx. The other two appeared among the top ten of this competition. Raúl Jiménez, when he played for América, scored 8 goals in the Clausura 2013. They did not have more time to stand out in Mexico.
Eduardo Herrera stood out in the Apertura 2014 with 8 goals and finished sixth in the standings.