These 5 Soccer Legends Shocked Fans by Playing in Mexico's Liga MX
Liga MX has never been renowned as a destination for marquee signings or elite-level talent, yet over the years, Mexico's premier division has welcomed some genuine football icons who came to display their skills—or whatever remained of them.
Typically, when former superstars make their way to Liga MX, their tenures in the competition are short-lived. Many others struggle to live up to the high expectations that accompany their arrival. However, a chosen few do manage to experience meaningful success during their time in the league.
Most recently, the ex-Real Madrid pair of Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez departed Liga MX following a single campaign, similar to former Newcastle United talent Allan Saint-Maximin, who exited after just half a season.
Conversely, players like ex-Man United forward Antony Martial and Champions League champion Keylor Navas are presently participating in the Clausura 2026 tournament.
Increasingly, more prominent stars are beginning to consider Liga MX as a viable option. Here, we examine the football legends you may not realize once competed in Mexico's top division.
5. Landon Donovan
Liga MX team: Club León (2018)
Widely considered the finest player in U.S. men's national team history, Landon Donovan concluded his career with Club León in Liga MX. Following nearly two years away from professional football, León recruited Donovan for the Clausura 2018 campaign—and the results were predictably disappointing.
Donovan accumulated merely 156 minutes of playing time across eight appearances during his solitary season with León. At 36 years of age, the USMNT icon appeared to be a shadow of his former self, managing only one starting appearance and failing to register a single goal or assist before permanently retiring at season's end.
Despite the underwhelming performance, Donovan expressed only positive sentiments about his Liga MX experience, and there was something poetic about one of Mexico's most notorious international adversaries choosing to conclude his career on Mexican territory.
4. Emilio Butragueño
Liga MX team: Celaya (1995–98)
Emilio Butragueño represented just two clubs throughout his distinguished career: Real Madrid and the now-defunct Liga MX side Toros de Celaya. Following 12 exceptional seasons with Los Blancos, "El Buitre" spent his final three campaigns with Atlético Celaya, later being joined by fellow Real Madrid legends Hugo Sánchez and Michel.
Throughout his three seasons in Mexico, Butragueño almost guided Celaya to championship glory during the 1995–96 season, ultimately falling to Necaxa in the final. Notably, Butragueño squandered a golden opportunity in that final which might have swung the title in Celaya's direction, a moment he has since acknowledged "is an action that will haunt me the rest of my life."
The Spanish legend netted 21 goals across 91 appearances for Celaya, establishing himself as a beloved figure for the club that ceased to exist in 2002. While a new iteration of the club has emerged and currently competes in Mexico's third division, they can forever claim to have featured one of Real Madrid's greatest ever players.
3. Eusebio
Liga MX team: Monterrey (1975–76)
Eusebio is universally acknowledged as one of football's all-time greats, and in 1975, he undoubtedly became the first world-class talent to arrive in Liga MX, and arguably remains the finest player ever to join the competition.
The Portuguese icon signed with Monterrey for the 1975–76 season at age 33. He featured in 10 matches and found the net once during his single campaign, as Monterrey were eliminated in the semifinals by Chivas.
Regrettably, a knee problem prevented Eusebio from demonstrating his complete abilities for Rayados, though the legendary player later reflected, "My time in Monterrey was fantastic and phenomenal. An experience that was magnificent from the start."
Nevertheless, his signing signaled the beginning of a new chapter for Monterrey, who have since become synonymous with recruiting high-profile players, with Ramos and Martial serving as recent examples.
2. Pep Guardiola
Liga MX team: Dorados de Sinaloa (2006)
Current Man City boss Pep Guardiola concluded his playing days in Liga MX with Dorados de Sinaloa. The former Barcelona maestro joined Dorados following a spell in Qatar, linking up with a squad featuring Uruguay striker and 2010 World Cup sensation Sebastián "El Loco" Abreú.
The midfield genius didn't provide any masterclasses in Liga MX, appearing in just 10 matches and scoring once during his six-month tenure with Dorados, where both he and the club suffered relegation from Liga MX before Guardiola announced his retirement.
Fascinatingly, Guardiola later confessed that his Dorados coach Juan Manuel Lillo is,"alongside Johan Cruyff, the two managers from whom I learned the most."
Lillo himself disclosed that while managing Guardiola, he viewed him almost as an additional assistant coach. Two years following Guardiola's departure from Dorados, he was named Barcelona's head coach for the 2008–09 season. The rest, as they say, is history.
1. Ronaldinho
Liga MX team: Querétaro (2014–15)
In what was arguably the most surprising signing in Liga MX history, humble club Querétaro acquired Brazilian icon Ronaldinho prior to the Apertura 2014 season. Ronaldinho's year-long spell with Querétaro turned out to be an absolutely unforgettable adventure.
Behavioral problems mounted frequently during Ronaldinho's Liga MX journey, regularly skipping training sessions due to spontaneous trips back to Brazil or simply from excessive nightlife activities. He faced suspension twice under manager Víctor Manuel Vucetich, yet when Ronaldinho concentrated on performing on the field, he displayed flashes of his extraordinary brilliance.
Ronaldinho found the back of the net eight times and provided eight assists in 29 appearances wearing Querétaro's colors. He delivered several unforgettable displays, converting a free kick on his debut against Chivas and memorably netting an outstanding double during an eight-minute substitute appearance against Club América, celebrating with his trademark moves as he received a standing ovation from a capacity Estadio Azteca crowd.
In his second and ultimate season, Ronaldinho assisted Querétaro in reaching their maiden Liga MX final. "Los Gallos Blancos" succumbed to Santos Laguna 5–3 over two legs in the Clausura 2015 final, marking Ronaldinho's final Liga MX appearance.
It was brief, it was imperfect, and he was no longer at his prime. Nevertheless, Ronaldinho's Querétaro journey remains one of the most legendary stories in Liga MX history.