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| Xelajú MC | |
|---|---|
| Clubname | Xelajú MC |
| Fullname | Club Social y Deportivo Xelajú Mario Camposeco |
| Nickname | Chivos, Superchivos |
| Founded | 12 March 1928 |
| Ground | Estadio Mario Camposeco |
| Capacity | 11,220 |
| Chairman | Roberto Molina |
| Manager | Luis Fernando Tena |
| League | Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala |
| Season | 2023–24 |
| Position | Apertura: 4th, Clausura: 6th |
Xelajú MC is a professional football club based in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, founded in 1928 and one of the most decorated teams in Guatemalan football. The club has a passionate regional support base and a history of competitive rivalry within the Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala, producing notable players and participating in regional competitions such as the CONCACAF Champions' Cup and Copa Interclubes UNCAF. Xelajú MC is named to honor Mario Camposeco and is commonly associated with the city's cultural identity and sporting tradition.
The club's origins in Quetzaltenango connect to early 20th-century Guatemalan football alongside clubs like Antigua GFC, Comunicaciones FC, C.S.D. Municipal, Aurora F.C., and Deportivo Suchitepéquez. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s Xelajú MC competed with teams such as CSD Comunicaciones, Municipal, Juventud Retalteca, Xelajú MC's rise coincided with national tournaments involving Deportivo Iztapa, Deportivo Marquense, and Deportivo Jalapa. In the professional era the club secured Primera División titles, contending with rivals like CSD Municipal, Comunicaciones, and Club Social y Deportivo Suchitepéquez while also encountering foreign visitors including Club América, Cruz Azul, CD Olimpia, C.D. FAS, Deportivo Saprissa, and LD Alajuelense in friendly matches and regional cups. The club's notable managers and figures have included Mario Camposeco, Carlos Enrique Díaz, Miguel Ángel Brindisi, Gustavo Faral, and more recently Eduardo Lara, sharing stages with players from Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Honduras, and Costa Rica. Xelajú MC has competed in international fixtures against D.C. United, LA Galaxy, Club León, Pachuca, Club Universidad Nacional (Pumas), F.C. Motagua, and Comunicaciones in CONCACAF competition, reflecting participation across tournaments such as CONCACAF Champions League, CONCACAF League, and Copa Interclubes UNCAF.
Estadio Mario Camposeco, named after Mario Camposeco, is situated in Quetzaltenango and serves as the home ground, hosting matches against opponents like CSD Municipal, Comunicaciones FC, Cobán Imperial, Antigua GFC, and Deportivo Marquense. The venue has welcomed international club fixtures versus Club América, Cruz Azul, CD Olimpia, Deportivo Saprissa, and Motagua. Renovations and upgrades have been made to comply with Liga Nacional and CONCACAF requirements, enabling attendance for fixtures that may include clubs like D.C. United, LA Galaxy, Club León, Pachuca, and Saprissa. The stadium is a focal point for regional events, occasionally hosting national teams such as the Guatemala national football team and youth squads alongside club friendlies featuring teams from Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the United States.
Supporters in Quetzaltenango form the core fanbase, joining with organized barras and fan groups that travel to away fixtures against CSD Municipal, Comunicaciones FC, Antigua GFC, Deportivo Suchitepéquez, and Cobán Imperial. Historic rivalries include derbies with Municipal and Comunicaciones, regional rivalry with Antigua GFC, and competitive animosity toward Deportivo Marquense and Suchitepéquez. Matches have featured intense atmospheres similar to encounters involving Club América, Cruz Azul, Saprissa, LD Alajuelense, and Olimpia in regional contexts. The club's supporters have engaged in cultural exchanges with fans from clubs such as D.C. United, LA Galaxy, Club León, Pachuca, and Pumas during friendlies and international tournaments.
First-team squads have included domestic talents who moved on to the Guatemala national football team and players who previously featured for clubs like Comunicaciones FC, CSD Municipal, Antigua GFC, Deportivo Mixco, and Deportivo Marquense. International signings have come from Argentina, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Uruguay, bringing experience from Boca Juniors, River Plate, Independiente Medellín, Millonarios FC, Club Libertad, and Olimpia. Coaching staff historically have had figures associated with CONMEBOL and CONCACAF names such as Miguel Ángel Brindisi, Antonio Alzamendi, and foreign technicians who worked in leagues like Liga MX, Categoría Primera A, Argentine Primera División, Primera División de Costa Rica, and Liga Nacional de Honduras. Medical and fitness staff collaborate with national associations and institutes including Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala, Comisión Nacional del Deporte, and CONCACAF development programs. Alumni include players who transferred to European clubs, MLS teams like D.C. United and LA Galaxy, and other Central American clubs including Deportivo Saprissa and Alajuelense.
Xelajú MC's honours include multiple Liga Nacional de Guatemala championships, Copa de Guatemala success, and podium finishes in domestic cup competitions alongside achievements compared with clubs like CSD Municipal, Comunicaciones FC, Antigua GFC, and Deportivo Suchitepéquez. The club has qualified for CONCACAF competitions, appearing in CONCACAF Champions' Cup and Copa Interclubes UNCAF editions contested by regional powerhouses such as Deportivo Saprissa, CD Olimpia, LD Alajuelense, Club América, Cruz Azul, and Pachuca.
The club's season-by-season record in Liga Nacional features finishes in Apertura and Clausura tournaments, playoff appearances against teams like Comunicaciones, Municipal, Antigua GFC, Cobán Imperial, and Mixco, and continental qualification spots leading to matches in CONCACAF Champions League and CONCACAF League against clubs such as D.C. United, LA Galaxy, Club León, Motagua, and Saprissa. Historical league campaigns have seen promotion/relegation battles involving Deportivo Suchitepéquez, Deportivo Marquense, Deportivo Jalapa, and Deportivo Iztapa.
Xelajú MC operates youth teams competing in national youth leagues and tournaments against academies from Comunicaciones FC, CSD Municipal, Antigua GFC, Deportivo Suchitepéquez, and Deportivo Mixco. The academy system develops talent reaching Guatemala national youth squads and senior call-ups, while collaborating with regional scouting networks including clubs from Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Colombia. Graduates have progressed to play in Liga Nacional, Liga MX, MLS, and South American leagues featuring clubs such as Saprissa, Alajuelense, Olimpia, Motagua, Club América, and Millonarios FC.
Category:Football clubs in Guatemala Category:Quetzaltenango