The history of Pachuca CF is a long and fascinating one. From fielding teams entirely made up of Cornish miners in its early days to becoming among the most dominant forces in Central and North American football today.
Along the way they have all but disappeared as a club, undergone one football's great modern turnarounds, been purchased by the world's richest man and made international club competition history with their 2006 Copa Sudamericana triumph. They may not always have remained one Mexico’s premier clubs, but make no mistake, Pachuca CF sure have some pedigree.
Today we’re taking a deep dive into the club from Mexico’s heartland and bringing you ten things to know about Los Tuzos.
1. Pachuca CF was founded by Cornish miners
Pachuca CF’s origins can be traced all the way back to 1850’s Cornwall - Frank (Francisco) Rule, along with many young Cornish workers, emigrated to Mexico. Business success followed and Frank would end up running the Real del Monte mine, who’s workers were encouraged to play football in their off time and frequently played with miners from the nearby Pachuca mine. Eventually the combined workers would form the Pachuca Athletic Club, with Frank Rule serving as the clubs first chairman.
2. Where the rules of the game were brought into Mexico
Alfred C. Crowle was another important figure in the early days. Born in Mexico to Cornish parents, he is credited with bringing the rules of the game over from England, organising the first officiated matches and supplying the first footballs. He later served as the teams manager and led them to three straight titles in the late 1910’s.
3. They're a founding member of the Liga Mexicana
In 1902 the club became one of five founding members of the Liga Mexicana de Football Amateur Association, Mexico’s first organised league and precursor of the modern Mexican Premier League. They formed the league alongside Orizaba Athletic Club, Reforma Athletic Club, Mexico Cricket Club and The British Club.
4. The club then lay dormant for over 30 years
The 1910-12 Mexican revolution left just three football teams still standing in the region, Pachuca being one of them. Despite this the revolution's effect on the mines which the club were built out of meant that by 1920 the club had disintegrated with most of its star players moving to Mexico City in the hope of work. The club then lay dormant for over 30 years until it reformed to compete in the Mexican second division in the 1950’s.
5. Winning the First Division for the very first time
Despite the sides long history it would take until the turn of the millennium for them to taste any real success. Until 1999 the sides greatest honour was triumphing in the second division, that would all change when they won the Mexican first division for the first time. This win ushered in a period of domestic dominance for the side as they added a further four first division titles in the next seven years.
6. The dominant force of North American Football
The period of 2000-2010 also saw them lift four CONCACAF Champions League’s as they became the dominant force in central and North American football. In 2006 they became the first side to ever win a major international tournament in a different admissions competition when they lifted the 2006 CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana, losing just one game along the way.
7. They changed their club colours in the 1970's
For the first seventy or so years of their existence the side wore black and white uniforms which were updated for the first time in 1972 to blue and white stripes, the style that they have used ever since.
8. Estadio Hidalgo literally translates to gentleman stadium
From the reinstating of the side in the 50’s they played at the 3,500 seater Mexican Revolution stadium up until they moved in 1993 to the Estadio Hidalgo. The name Estadio Hidalgo literally translates to gentleman stadium, though it is in fact named in honour of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a hero of Mexican independence.
9. Once part-owned by one of the richest men in the world
Mexico’s richest man and one time world's richest men, Carlos Slim, purchased a stake in the club in 2012. Many in Mexican football viewed this as a sign that the club would become the Manchester City or PSG of Mexican football, in reality Mr Slim did little by way of investing in the club and sold his stake five years later.
10. Feeding the Mexican national team
The team's success over the last 20 years has meant they have been able to funnel money into their youth program as well as poaching talented youngsters from other sides. The youth academy has consistently produced Mexican internationals, with Napoli’s Hirving Lozano, PSV’s Érick Gutiérrez and Inter Miami’s Rodolfo Pizarro having progressed through the ranks at Pachuca in recent years.
If you like this, you may also like "Dynamo Kyiv: 10 things to know."
Words by Andy Gallagher
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