A team of Cruz Azul legends played a friendly against Club America legends in a farewell match to Estadio Azul Saturday, which was America’s home between 1947 and 1955 and Azul’s ground between 1996 and 2018. Both clubs now occupy the Estadio Azteca while the Nuevo Estadio Azul is being built.
But this past weekend, the likes of Azul legends Carlos Hermosillo and César Delgado came up against Blanco, Luis Roberto Alves and Germán Villa to give the crumbling edifice a proper goodbye.
The Club America team somewhat spoiled the party by winning 3-1, but everyone got a kick out of the winning side’s third goal — an exquisite chip from the 45-year-old Blanco.
Before the match, the man who received 120 caps for El Tri was also asked to weigh in on who he’d like to see lead the national team going forward: “If they ask me, I would like Marcelo Bielsa,” he said. “I have always liked him, but if [Tuca] Ferretti remains he will have all our support since he is a great manager. He is a capable coach with strong character, but that is not my decision.”
Bielsa just signed a two-year contract with English side Leeds United back in June and currently has the club sitting atop the Championship following an undefeated start after six matches. It'd be hard to imagine Bielsa quickly abandoning that ship for Mexico, but the Argentine manager is somewhat notorious for his short stints with clubs.