5 Greatest Football Players from Guatemala
5 Greatest Football Players from Guatemala. Guatemalan loves football very much. The football competition in this country is pretty packed as well. It has been run for a long time so there is no surprise that people can find some great football players in the Country. Here they are.
Oscar Enrique Sanchez
The popular nickname for Oscar Enrique Sanchez is El Conejo, which means the rabbit. He became a player and coach mostly in Comunicaciones FC. Oscar Enrique Sanchez was mentioned as one of the best football players in the history of Guatemalan football by the journalists. He was part of the team that won the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 1978. Of course, he was also in the national team for the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup Qualification.
Juan Carlos Plata
He played as a striker before he retired and became a football coach. He became the top scorer of the top division in Guatemala. Juan Carlos Plata was considered as one of the most prolific scorers among the world’s professional football players in the top division leagues. As part of the Guatemalan national football team, he was considered as the second top scorer after Carlos Ruiz.
Jorge Roldan Popo
He was a former midfielder from Guatemala. Later, he became a football coach after he retired from the professional football league. His entire football career was spent in a local football club called Aurora FC. He could be the most loveable representation of this club after all. Jorge Roldan Popo has a popular nickname called El Grillo which means cricket. He was part of the Guatemalan national football team not only as a member but also as a captain. Besides bringing the team as the winner of the CONCACAF Championship in 1967, he also played in the squad for Olympic Games in 1968 and the World Cup qualification two times.
Carlos Ruiz
Carlos Ruiz must be considered as one of the greatest Guatemalan football players. He also becomes the most famous footballer from Guatemala. His nickname is El Pescadito, which means the little fish. Nevertheless, his long nickname was shortened into Pescado, which means fish. He became a professional football player after training in the youth academy of CSD Municipal. He can be considered as one of the most active players in the MLS league in the United States. Carlos Ruiz has played for five clubs in this league. He recorded the most goals in MLS postseason history with his 16 goals in total. There is no surprise that he became MLS MVP in the 2002 season. He also recorded top scorer in the World Cup qualification match of all time with a total of 39 scores.
Martin Machon
Last but not least, we have to include Martin Machon in the list of the greatest football players in Guatemala. When playing for the professional league, he played mostly as a midfielder. He was playing for Comunicaciones in the local league of Guatemala and Los Angeles Galaxy as well as Miami Fusion in Major League Soccer in the United States. Martin Machon also became a member of the national team of Guatemala in three qualification processes for the World Cup. He had to retire from the professional football career due to a knee injury. Yet, he is still active as a radio commentator as well as an entrepreneur. He even worked with the DGEF organization in Guatemala that focuses on helping young children do physical activities while complementing their academic training.