On Saturday, February 24, Tigres UANL beat Morelia 2-1 by date 9 of the Mexican 2018 Clausura. A very special victory for the current champion because he represented the game number 1201 for coach Ricardo Ferretti de Oliveira, who became the man with the most matches in the history of Aztec football.
The record number came after 1055 league games, 38 of the Copa Mx, 52 of Concacaf, 30 of the Copa Libertadores, 21 of the Prelibertadores, 3 of the Champion of Champions and 2 of the Super Cup Mx.
These are happy times for the Brazilian strategist who celebrated his 64th birthday on Thursday, February 22, in the midst of the matches his team had with Sport Herediano of Costa Rica, which he eliminated in the Champions League of Concacaf, in the Round of 16, while equaling the living legend Ignacio Trelles, as the coach who held more meetings.
It is already 27 years, like Trelles, in which the “Tuca”, such his nickname, directs in a consecutive way without being fired, with a third cycle in the northern cast, where it seems that it only accommodates him to play finals.
He reached the titles in the Summer 1997 with Guadalajara, Champion of Champions 2003 and Concacaf 2003 with Toluca, Clausura 2009 with Pumas de la UNAM (team this where he has several consecrations as a player), Opening 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2017, Copa MX Clausura 2014 and Champion of Champions 2016 and 2017, all in front of Tigres. The subtitles are in the Summer 1998, Winter 2001, Opening 2007, Super Cup Mx 2014, Opening 2014, Copa Libertadores 2015, Concacaf 2016 and 2017 and Closing 2017.
In front of Argentine strategists it maintained eight definitions, with a balance of 50% in each side. And in Liguillas it boasts a supremacy of 33 presences.
He still has some records to overcome, such as the most years in charge of a club, which is in the hands of other legendary: Engineer Javier de la Torre, multi-champion in Guadalajara, where he remained for 12 years, between 1960-61 and 1972 -73. And Antonio Carbajal in Morelia from 1984-85 to 1995-96.
Regarding First Division consecrations, Ignacio Trelles with 101 years of life, has seven to his credit, all in the era of long tournaments, followed by Raúl Cárdenas with six and soon appears Ricardo Ferretti adding the same number in short tournaments.
Apart from his numbers in clubs, he has four games as interim coach of the Mexican National Team during 2015. He was undefeated and qualified the team to the Confederations Cup 2017.
But it will be necessary to see until when he wants to continue managing the Brazilian mustache because he recently renewed his contract until 2020, announcing that he already deserves a break.
Meanwhile we are still accustomed to seeing him with the feline frame in decisive instances with a deserved prominence that does not allow arguments.