Xolos solicit fan votes for all-time Best XI

To celebrate their eleventh anniversary, Club Tijuana solicited fan votes for an all-time Best XI and manager from the club’s roster. Going through the list brought back a lot of memories of players who have moved on as well as hope for some of the current players named. For a club that’s just over a decade old, they have some solid names on the list. Here’s who I would pick for my all-time Xolos Best XI.

COACH

Wilson Graniolatti, Joaquín del Olmo, Antonio Mohamed, Miguel Herrera

While I’m a huge fan of Miguel Herrera and wish he’d have stayed in Tijuana, he isn’t the reason there’s a star on the Xolos’ crest.

Antonio “Turco” Mohamed

Photo by Fernando Nunez/Jam Media/LatinContent/Getty Images

GOALKEEPER

Adrian Zermeño, Cirilo Saucedo, Federico Vilar, Gibran Lajud

If you ask me again in five to ten years, I may well say Gibran Lajud is a no-brainer. He certainly is maturing into a fantastic goalkeeper, but his body of work is short. Federico Vilar had a fantastic body of work, however most of it was with Atlas. Cirilo Saucedo has a great and lengthy body of work with Xolos.

Cirilo Saucedo

Photo by Natalia Perales/LatinContent/Getty Images

CENTRAL DEFENDER (1)

Javier Gandolfi, Miguel Almazan, Emanuel Aguilera

I don’t like how this is set up, as my ideal XI would have both players from the scond pool. But I’ll play by the rules and select Javier Gandolfi mostly because of his overall body of work with Xolos was better than Emanuel Aguilera and Miguel Almazan’s. He also captained the championship-winning side in 2012

Javier Gandolfi

Photo credit should read Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images

CENTRAL DEFENDER (2)

Joshua Abrego, Juan Carlos Valenzuela, Pablo Cesar Aguilar

In an ideal world, I’d be able to choose both Topo Valenzuela and Pablo Aguilar as my Best XI center backs. But it’s a leas than ideal world, and while Topo is one of the best and a guy that has moved the needle considerably for Xolos, I rate Aguilar as one of the best in Liga MX during both of his stints in Tijuana.

Pablo Aguilar

Photo by Edgar Negrete/Clasos.com/LatinContent/Getty Images

RIGHT BACK

Juan Carlos Nuñez, Richard Ruiz, Michael Orozco

This is one of the toughest to call because all three could claim the title on any given day. Nuñez and, Ruíz were so good for so long at this position, while Orozco has been solid lately (especially with the slick moves against Club América). But I can only choose one, and for me it’s...

Juan Carlos Núñez

Photo credit should read ROCIO VAZQUEZ/AFP/Getty Images

LEFT BACK

Edgar Castillo, Javier Yacuzzi, Damian Perez, Greg Garza

Another tough choice. Castillo was one of the first norteamericanos to thrive in Tijuana. Yacuzzi was solid but short lived. Pérez looks to have made this his position for the foreseeable future, and Garza was able to make his name at the position. Again I can only choose one, and I have to go with...

Greg Garza

Photo credit should read MARIA CALLS/AFP/Getty Images

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

Cristian Pellerano, Guido RodrIguez, Egidio Arevalo, Gerardo Galindo

As tough as the last two were, this one is easy for me. While Pellerano and Arevalo were good, Guido Rodríguez was great and his departure has left a void the club is still to an extent trying to fill.

Guido Rodríguez

Photo by David Garrido/LatinContent/Getty Images

MIDFIELDER: RIGHT

Gabriel Hauche, Fernando Arce, Aviles Hurtado

While Hauche was good and Arce a legend of the early days, Avilés Hurtado is truly a special player and could make something out of nothing.

Avilés Hurtado

Photo credit should read VICTOR CRUZ/AFP/Getty Images

MIDFIELDER: LEFT

Juan Arango, Ignacio Malcorra, Diego Olsina, Gastón Otreras

For me this is another no brainer. Nacho Malcorra has cemented himself in place on the left wing for Xolos and left an indelible mark on how that position is played in Tijuana.

Ignacio Malcorra

Photo credit should read GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP/Getty Images

OFFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

Joe Corona, Fidel Martinez, Valtencir Gomes

There’s only one player who is synonymous with Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente.

Joe Benny Corona

Photo by Gonzalo Gonzalez/Jam Media/LatinContent/Getty Images

FORWARD (1)

Raul Enriquez, Dayro Moreno, Mauro Gerk, Gustavo Bou

While Pantera Bou has the potential to be one of the best in Liga MX and Raúl Enríquez scored more goals than anyone else in a Xolos uniform, Dayro Moreno was the best in Liga MX before going back to his native Colombia and has scored more first-division goals than anyone else for the club. While I may have a different answer in a few years, right now there’s only one answer for me.

Dayro Moreno

Photo by David Garrido/LatinContent/Getty Images

FORWARD (2)

Duvier Riascos, Alfredo Moreno, Diego Torres, Dario Benedetto

The last one may be the toughest. Duvier Riascos helped win the championship during his term, but Dario Benedetto has more goals with the club (along with representing Argentina with Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero). But I can choose only one, and I’ll go with Pipa.

Dario “Pipa” Benedetto

Photo by Cynthia Saavedra/LatinContent/Getty Images

Who makes your all-time Xolos Best XI? Let us know on our Facebook page, twitter feed, or in the comments section below!