Toros Neza

Neza Fútbol Club is a Mexican football club based in the city of Nezahualcóyotl, State of Mexico, that plays in the Liga de Balompié Mexicano. Founded in 1991 as Toros UTN, then the club was moved to Pachuca, Hidalgo and played the 1993–94 season as Toros Hidalgo, the following year changed its name to Toros Neza. After the club's dissolution in 2002, the club returned under its current name in 2011.

Neza FC

Full name	Neza Fútbol Club
Nickname(s)	Los Toros (The Bulls) Los Astados (The Horned)
Founded	May 20, 1991; 33 years ago (May 20, 1991), as Toros UTN
Ground	Estadio Municipal Claudio Suárez, Texcoco, State of Mexico
Capacity	4,000
Chairman	Hugo Vázquez
Manager	Ignacio Negrete
League	Liga de Balompié Mexicano
2023	1st (Runners-up)
Website	http://www.torosneza.mx/
Home colours Away colours

The club returned for the Clausura 2011 Liga de Ascenso tournament, taking the place of Atlante UTN who had been purchased by Grupo Salinas.^[1] An earlier Toros Neza side played in the Mexican Primera División in the 1990s.^[2][3]

History

Toros Neza was promoted after winning the championship of the Segunda División in the 1992–93 season (under the name "Toros de la Universidad Tecnológica de Neza") to the Mexican Primera División in the 1993–94 season as Toros Neza, taking the place of Pachuca who had been relegated from the Primera División. There have been several clubs that played in the city of Neza, such as Deportivo Neza, which had a short stay in the first division in the 1970s when after 4 years the club was sold.

In 1993–94 they finished bottom of their group, and played their last 14 home games in Pachuca, changing their name to Toros Neza Hidalgo. However, the following season they were known again as Toros Neza.^[4][5]

In the 1996–97 tournament they reached the semi-finals in the Apertura. They bettered this in the Clausura, reaching the final where they lost to C.D. Guadalajara. However, they were relegated at the end of the 1999–2000 season.^[4]

Return of Neza

In December 2010 it was announced that Neza would be returning to the professional ranks for the Clausura stage of the 2010–11 Liga de Ascenso season. They will be the filial team of Monarcas Morelia, and ultimately be owned by TV Azteca.^[6]

They effectively took the place of the Atlante UTN team who competed in the Apertura 2010 tournament. The Monarcas Morelia and Atlante clubs swapped their filial teams, and the changed team were known as Neza FC starting with the Clausura 2011 tournament.^[7]

When the new calendar for the 2015-16 Segunda División season came out once again the team had dissolved.^[8]

2nd Return of Neza

A team called Neza FC is due to compete in the Liga de Balompié Méxicano for the league's first season, 2020–21, as a continuation of Toros Neza.

Players

First-team squad

As of 1 September 2021

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  MEX Alain Estrada 3 DF  COL Erick Ruiz 4 DF  MEX Edder Mondragón 6 MF  MEX Jesús Terrazas 7 FW  MEX Milton Lemus 9 FW  COL Luis Alfonso Páez 10 MF  MEX Isaác Vázquez 11 MF  MEX Erick Ruiz 12 GK  MEX Brandon Hernández 13 DF  MEX Julio Cataño

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 MF  MEX Luis Mendoza 18 MF  MEX Leonardo Bolaños 19 DF  MEX Eddie Ramírez 21 DF  MEX Marco Zavala 24 MF  MEX Hugo Ayala 27 DF  NGA William Onoruoiza 30 GK  MEX Ángel Torres 31 MF  HON Harold Mejía 33 DF  MEX Edwin Juárez

Notable former players

• German Arangio
• Daniel Garnero
• Federico Lussenhoff
• Antonio Mohamed
• Martín Vilallonga
• Bebeto
• Nildeson
• Rodrigo Ruiz
• Luis Carlos Perea
• Efraín Munguia
• Pedro Pineda
• Jesús López Meneses
• Félix Cruz
• Miguel Herrera
• Pablo Larios
• Oscar Mascorro
• Manuel Negrete
• Juan de Dios Ramírez
• Camilo Romero
• Humberto Romero
• Javier Saavedra
• Guillermo Vázquez
• Óscar Dautt
• Jörg Stiel

Player Records

Top scorers

Number	Player	Seasons	Total	League	Cup
1	Germán Arangio	1996-2000	53	53	-
2	Antonio Mohamed	1993-1998	52	51	1
3	Rodrigo Ruiz	1996-1999	36	32	4
4	Guillermo Vázquez	1994-1998	27	23	4
5	Nidelson	1995-1997	20	20	-
6	Martín Vilallonga	1995-1996	20	13	7
7	Pedro Pineda	1995-1996	14	14	-
8	Jesús López Meneses	1994-2000	12	12	-
9	Carlos Briseño	1993-95/1996-97	11	11	-

Competition record

Ascenso MX record

Ascenso MX
Season	Tournament	Place
Clausura 2011[9]	Liga de Ascenso	Semifinals
Apertura 2011	Liga de Ascenso	Semifinals
Clausura 2012	Liga de Ascenso	Quarterfinals
Apertura 2012	Ascenso MX	Champions

Copa MX record

Copa MX
Season	Tournament	Place
Copa MX Apertura 2012	Copa MX	Semifinals

Honours

Neza FC honours

Type	Competition	Titles	Winning editions	Runners-up
Top division	Primera División	0	–	Verano 1997
	Copa México	0	–	1996–97
Promotion divisions	Primera División A/Ascenso MX	1	Clausura 2013	Verano 2001
	Campeón de Ascenso	0	–	2012–13
	Segunda División	1	1992–93	–

Friendly

• Torneo Cuadrangular Toluca: 1980
• Parmalat Cup: 1997

Kit evolution and rare kits

1994 Local 1994

1997 Local 1997

1997-98 Local 1997-98

1998 Local 1998

1999 Local 1999

2011 Local 2011

References

1. "We belong to: "Neza FC is part of Grupo Salinas..."". nezafc official site (in Spanish). 10 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
2. "REMEMBERING TOROS NEZA". inbedwithmaradona.com.
3. "A Look Back at Toros Neza, the Craziest Team in Mexican Soccer History". remezcla.com.
4. Macario Reyes Padilla (20 January 2012). "professional era". México - List of Final Tables. RSSSF. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
5. "Federación Mexicana de Fútbol".
6. "Toros Neza regresa al futbol mexicano". El Universal (in Spanish). 22 December 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
7. "Clausura 2011". Explanation of team changes, table and results. RSSSF. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
8. "Otra vez, Neza se queda sin futbol profesional". 25 April 2021.
9. Playing under the name "Neza UTN"

External links

• Official website
• Official Facebook