Francisco Avilán Cruz (27 August 1947 – 5 February 2021) was a Mexican footballer and football manager.

Francisco Avilán
Personal information
Full name Francisco Avilán Cruz[1]
Date of birth (1947-08-27)27 August 1947
Place of birth Monterrey, Mexico
Date of death 5 February 2021(2021-02-05) (aged 73)
Place of death Monterrey, Mexico
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1958–1964 Monterrey
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1970 Monterrey
1970–1971 Atlas
1971–1972 Monterrey
1972–1974 Guadalajara
International career
1971–1972 Mexico 2 (0)
Managerial career
1984–1987 Monterrey
1988 Mexico U20
1992–1994 Tigres
1997–1998 Vida
Saltillo Soccer
Irapuato
2008 Jaguares de Chiapas (interim)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

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Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Avilán's father was an amateur footballer and his brother, Arnulfo, played for Monterrey.[2] His other brother, Pedro, played in the Mexican second division.[2]

He followed in the footsteps of his brother Arnulfo when he joined Monterrey in 1958.[2]

Club career

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Avilán was handed his first team debut by Uruguayan manager Roberto Scarone in 1964 against Club Deportivo Nacional, helping Monterrey to a 2–0 win.[2] He remained with Monterrey until 1970, when he had a short stint with Atlas, before returning to Monterrey.[2] He signed with Guadalajara before retiring in 1974.[2]

International career

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He was called up to the Mexico national football team on several occasions, making two appearances between 1971 and 1972.[3] In doing so, he became the first Monterrey player to represent Mexico.[2]

Managerial career

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Avilán returned to Monterrey at the end of the 1970s, initially managing the youth sector, which included future Mexican internationals Francisco Javier Cruz, Héctor Becerra and Missael Espinoza.[2]

After studying football management in Yugoslavia, Avilán was named manager of Monterrey in 1984.[2] With signings such as Guillermo Muñoz, he led Monterrey to the México 86 title, the first in the club's history.[2]

While serving as manager of the Mexico national under-20 football team, it was found Mexico had knowingly fielded four overage players at the 1988 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament. The scandal, known as Cachirules, saw several Mexican officials banned from football for life; however, Avilán himself received no sanction, and said that if he had known these players were overaged, he would not have selected them.[4][5]

Avilán returned to management in 2008, when he was named manager of Jaguares de Chiapas on an interim basis.[4]

Death

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Avilán died in February 2021, following a bout of COVID-19.[4][6][7]

Career statistics

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International

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National team Year Apps Goals
Mexico 1971 1 0
1972 1 0
Total 2 0

Managerial statistics

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Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
P W D L Win %
Jaguares de Chiapas 2008 2008 8 3 1 4 037.5
Total 8 3 1 4 037.5

References

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  1. ^ Francisco Avilán at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j ""Pancho" Avilán: Jugador Habilidoso, primer DT Campeón de Liga y formador de futbolistas" [“Pancho” Avilan: skillful player, first League Champion DT and football trainer]. rayados.com (in Spanish). 5 February 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  3. ^ Francisco Avilán at National-Football-Teams.com
  4. ^ a b c Campos Garza, Luciano (5 February 2021). "Muere por covid-19 Francisco Avilán, extécnico de Rayados e implicado en el escándalo de los cachirules de 1988" [Francisco Avilán, former Rayados technician and involved in the 1988 cachirules scandal, dies from covid-19]. proceso.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Francisco Avilán no quiere hablar sobre los "cachirules"" [Francisco Avilán does not want to talk about the "cachirules"]. laaficion.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Falleció Francisco Avilán, primer entrenador Campeón en la historia de Rayados" [Francisco Avilán, first Champion coach in the history of Rayados, passed away]. onefootball.com (in Spanish). 5 February 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  7. ^ Elgueta, José (5 February 2021). "Francisco Avilán, leyenda de Rayados, muere por covid-19" [Francisco Avilán, Rayados legend, dies from covid-19]. milenio.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 October 2022.