Carlos Salcido

At 44 years old, Carlos Salcido has this physical status:

Carlos Arnoldo Salcido Flores (American Spanish: [ˈkaɾlos aɾˈnoldo salˈsiðo ˈfloɾes]; born 2 April 1980) is a Mexican former professional footballer. He started his career as a centre-back and played most of it as left-back, then converted to defensive midfielder and ended it as centre-back. He won the 2012 Olympic gold medal.

After emerging through Guadalajara's youth system, he went on to be a mainstay for PSV Eindhoven, acting as vice-captain for the Dutch team and was the first player from Mexico to be champion in the Eredivise. Salcido also played a season for Fulham before returning to Mexico with Tigres UANL. In 2014 he returned to Guadalajara, winning the league title with the club in 2017.

Internationally, Salcido represented the senior national team in three World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014 and three Gold Cups: 2005, 2007, 2011, He was a member of Mexico's team that won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He made his first national team appearance at the age of 24 in 2004. In 2014, after the World Cup in Brazil, Salcido officially retired from the national team.

Salcido served as the first president of the Liga de Balompié Mexicano.

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Club career

Carlos Salcido started his football career with Chivas, which is just south of him. He progressed through the ranks with the youth teams until he was called up to the senior team in 2001, making his official debut in the Primera División de México against La Piedad in 2001. Salcido debuted from Chivas' first squad until 2003, when he regained confidence as a good defender. He will continue to play in 105 games as a member of the five-button leagues, with two goals in each half. Salcido was a 2005 and 2006 Copa Libertadores Semifinalist with Guadalajara and a Runner-Up in Primera División (First Division), losing in penalty shoot-outs against Pumas in 2004. Salcido won by 3–2 over Pachuca in his last league appearance for Guadalajara on April 1, 2006.

Following the 2006 FIFA World Cup, press rumors connected Salcido to many clubs in Europe, with one story claiming that he had decided to sign for Arsenal F.C., a football team. However, these rumors were unfounded when he signed a four-year deal with Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven on July 10, 2006.

Salcido was a first team regular in the Ecrisie under new coach Ronald Koeman, who played 33 of 34 games in his first season with the club, which saw PSV crown Dutch champions. In a match against Excelsior Rotterdam that ended 4–0, he scored his first goal in Europe on November 18, 2006, marking his first goal in Europe. Salcido has also competed in the 2006-07 UEFA Champions League. Salcido played 48 Emotion and Champions League games this season, finishing 46 of them. Salcido was awarded the number 3 shirt, which had been worn by Michael Reiziger in the 2007–08 season. Following Timmy Simons' resignation as the team's Captain after retiring former Capt. Phillip Cocu, he was also named team Vice President. Salcido was crowned champion for the second year in a row with PSV Salcido in his second season, as well as 6 games in the Champions League. He played 28 games in the Dutch League, scoring two goals in his third season with the club. Salcido played 27 Economies and 9 UEFA Europa League matches between 2009 and 2010. Salcido was a substitute for the start of the 2010-11 Economies and the Europa League, where he did not appear in any matches but was quickly transferred to Fulham of England.

Following a good showing with Mexico at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Liverpool wanted to sign Salcido, according to a report.

Fulham had agreed a £3.6 million contract with PSV to sign the player on August 26, 2010, but the player's contract was still subject to player consent. The contract was then signed the next day. On September 18, 2010, he made his Blackburn Rovers debut against him. In the 56th minute, he helped with the cross pass to American player Clint Dempsey, who led it into the net from 8 yards to level the game at 1-1. He played all 90 minutes. In August 2011, he joined the club on loan to Tigres UANL.

Salcido was transferred from Mexican side Tigres UANL on a season-long loan, according to the Mexican side. Salcido, who suffered from a robbery at his home in Claygate, London, wanted to be relocated back to Mexico due to his family's dissatisfaction. Salcido aided the Tigres win their third league title and their first title in more than 30 years during his first season back in Mexico.

Fulham announced on March 7th, 2012, that Salcido had joined Tigres on a permanent basis.

Guadalajara officially announced the signing of Salcido on May 20, 2014. Salcido made his World Cup debut for Chivas de Guadalajara in a pre-season friendly match on July 9, 2014 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Guadalajara won by 2–1 over Cruz Azul, with Salcido playing the entire match. Salcido made his first league appearance for Guadalajara against Chiapas on July 20th, 2014, when he was playing for the entire match. On November 24, 2016, he scored his first goal from a penalty against bitter rivals America. He scored 94th minute own goal against Morelia on October 14, 2017 reducing Chivas' hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, which began a controversy from 2017 to 2020, where they will not advance to the semifinals until Apertura 2020.

He joined Veracruz in January 2019. He made his debut against his old team Guadalajara on February 4th in a 0–0 draw. On November 23rd, he played his final match in the Liga MX against Guadalajara in a 1–3 loss.

International career

Salcido made his international cup qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago on September 8, 2004, before he established himself with the national team's first choice left back. He has been to numerous international competitions with Mexico. He appeared in the Confederations Cup in Germany in 2005, assisting the national team in a fourth-place finish, where he appeared as a starter in all five matches. Salcido scored a goal in extra time during a semi-final match against Argentina. He recovered the ball in the Mexican region, dribbled it along three players when going the full length of the field, and then scored after the shot fooled keeper Germán Lux when it bounced off Fabricio Coloccini.

Salcido was selected by head coach Rigo Lavolpe on April 2nd, 2006, to play for the national team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Salcido played all four games.

Hugo Sánchez, the former Mexican national footballer now president, had Salcido called up for the 2007 Gold Cup. He revealed that he did not participate in the 2007 Copa America because he needed rest. He was in the final of the Gold Cup, where Mexico finished runner-up to rivals the United States in the final. He was a member of the tournament's All-Tournament Team.

At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Salcido played all four games.

Salcido was one of the three over-age athletes selected for the 2012 Summer Olympics. He earned the gold medal with the Olympic team.

Salcido's selection into Mexico's 2014 FIFA World Cup roster was a surprise to the player and analysts alike. During the knockout stage against the Netherlands, he got off to his only start, replacing the defunct José Juan Vázquez.

Salcido announced his retirement from international football on August 29th.

Post playing career

He was appointed as the first president of the Liga de Balompié Mexicano in May 2020. He resigned in January 2021 after a string of problems that dogged the first season. He unveiled a plan for a new football league called Liga Top a month after his departure.

Career statistics

Updated 29 August 2014

Salcido was an unused replacement in 4 Elementivisie and two Europa League games.

Mexico's goal stood first in terms of scores and findings.

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