J.J. Macías in on the verge of realizing his dream of playing in Europe after signing a one-year loan deal (with club option to buy) this week to join La Liga’s Getafe. J.J. becomes the 15th Chivas “export” to Europe, the first since Amaury Vergara gained control of the club after the passing of his father, Jorge, in November 2019.
The “new” Chivas owner is eager to continue his father’s policy of facilitating transfers to Europe (12 Guadalajara players left Verde Valle for European training grounds during Jorge’s 17 years in charge of “El Rebaño Sagrado”).
As proof of that, while serving as interim team president the past few years, Amaury authorized loans for seven academy players to train with lower division teams in Spain: Edson Torres, Ángel López, Luis Olivas and Diego Cortés were sent to Tudelano, while Renato Mendoza, Jorge Reynoso and Pável Pérez joined third-division club Toledo.
So while it might be worth remembering the names in the above paragraph and tracking their career development (or not), this column will be taking a look backward … at those Chivas players who paved the way for J.J. Macías.
Cousins and pathfinders, with link to legendary coach
Guadalajara won the 1986-87 Mexican First Division title with the De la Torre cousins adding to the family legacy. The legacy started with Javier de la Torre who played 13 years for the Chivas (1943-1956) before taking the reins as manager (first as interim coach from 1956-1959, then as manager from 1961-1973) whereupon the club earned its nickname “Campeonissimo” thanks to its dominance in the 1960s. The Chivas Rayadas won five league titles, three league Champions Cups and a Concacaf Champions Cup with de la Torre as coach.
In the 1987 Grand Final against Cruz Azul, Javier’s son, Eduardo “Yayo” de la Torre, scored a brace to lead the Chivas to a 3-0 win, while his cousins José María, aka “Chepo,” and Néstor contributed.
The following season “Yayo” was sent out on loan to Xerez, but did not manage to catch on. He returned to “El Rebaño Sagrado” after one year, though he did not enjoy the same production in Guadalajara as he had before leaving for Spain.
His cousin “Chepo,” an attacking midfielder, traveled abroad the following year (1988), joining Real Oviedo where he made but 11 appearances, scoring once. “Chepo” also returned after one season in Spain, but unlike “Yayo” he continued to play well back in Mexico, winning two more titles, one with Puebla (1989-90), and another with Necaxa (Invierno 1998). He later became a coach and led the Chivas to the Liga MX title in the Apertura 2006 season.
No more Guadalajara players would be exported until 2006.