Ignacio Trelles

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Telles and the second or maternal family name is Campos.
Ignacio Trelles
Trelles in 1961
Personal information
Full name Ignacio Trelles Campos
Date of birth (1916-07-31)31 July 1916
Place of birth Guadalajara, Mexico
Date of death 24 March 2020(2020-03-24) (aged 103)
Place of death Mexico City, Mexico
Position Midfielder[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1932–1943 Necaxa
1943–1945 América
1946–? Monterrey
1948 Chicago Vikings
1948 Atlante
Managerial career
1950–1951 Zacatepec
1953–1954 Club Deportivo Marte
1954–1958 Zacatepec
1957 Mexico (assistant)
1958–1960 América
1960–1969 Mexico
1966–1972 Toluca
1972–1975 Puebla
1975 Mexico
1976–1982 Cruz Azul
1983–1985 Atlante
1986–1989 UDG
1990–1991 Puebla
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ignacio Trelles Campos (31 July 1916 – 24 March 2020) was a Mexican football player and manager.

Trelles was one of the dominant figures in Mexican football in the 20th century, starting his coaching career with Zacatepec in 1950 and going on to lift seven Primera División titles, including consecutive championships with Toluca and Cruz Azul. He managed Mexico at the FIFA World Cup in 1962 and 1966.[2]

Alongside Ricardo Ferretti, he is the manager with the most league titles in Mexican football. He managed 1,083 matches in Primera Division, the second-highest total of any coach in the league's history. He also holds the record for the most matches managed as coach of the national team.[3][4]

Early life

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Trelles was born in Guadalajara. As a child, he was very athletic, engaging in many different sports. In his teenage years, Trelles's family relocated to San Miguel Chapultepec where he regularly played football in the streets.[1]

Club career

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In 1934, Trelles made his debut in Mexico’s First Division with Necaxa. With Los Rayos, he enjoyed a golden era, winning three league titles in the 1934–35, 1936–37, and 1937–38 seasons, as well as lifting the Copa México in 1934–35.

After his brilliant spell with Necaxa, Trelles joined Club América in 1943. Later, he was transferred to Monterrey. A true pioneer, he became one of the first Mexican footballers to try his luck in the United States. At that time, Major League Soccer did not yet exist, but small regional competitions were beginning to emerge, such as the National Soccer League in Chicago. In 1948, Trelles played for the Chicago Vikings.

His career, however, was cut short that same year due to a severe tibia and fibula injury. He retired from professional football wearing the jersey of Atlante in 1948.[5]

Coaching career

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In 1950, Zacatepec gave Trelles his first big break. With the Cañeros, he began a remarkable journey, leading the team to a championship in 1951 and securing their long-awaited promotion to Mexico’s top division.

His talent quickly drew attention. In the 1953–54 season, Trelles captured his first Primera División title with Marte. Though his stint with Cuautla that same year was modest, his return to Zacatepec cemented his reputation as a top-tier strategist, adding two more titles in the 1954–55 and 1957–58 campaigns.

This string of successes propelled him into the coaching staff of the Mexican national team as assistant to Antonio López Herranz, participating in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. Soon after, Trelles took the reins of El Tri and left an indelible mark: in Chile 1962, Mexico celebrated its first-ever World Cup victory with a 3–1 triumph over Czechoslovakia. He also led the squad during the 1966 tournament in England.[6]

At the same time, Trelles managed Club América, guiding them to two runner-up finishes in the 1961–62 and 1963–64 seasons. In 1966, he took charge of Toluca and added two more championship to his growing legacy.

His longest and most fruitful tenure came with Cruz Azul, where he spent seven years and won consecutive titles in 1978–79 and 1979–80, bringing his individual total to seven Primera División titles.

He managed Atlante and Leones Negros before bringing his legendary managerial career to a close with Puebla in 1991.[7][8]

Later life

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Trelles turned 100 in July 2016.[9] He died of a heart attack on 24 March 2020 at the age of 103, in Mexico City.[10][11]

Honours

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Player

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Necaxa

Manager

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Marte

Zacatepec

Toluca

Cruz Azul

Atlante

  • CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1983

Mexico

References

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  1. ^ a b Jiménez, Oscar (25 March 2020). "Nacho Trelles: una leyenda del futbol mexicano que inició con 75 pesos". Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Legendary Mexico coach Ignacio Trelles dies aged 103". ESPN. 25 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Remembering the legacy of the inimitable Don Nacho". Inside FIFA. 25 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Liga MX: ¿Quiénes son los jugadores y técnicos con más títulos en la historia del futbol mexicano?" (in Spanish). International Olympic Committee. 25 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Garcia, Mike (25 March 2020). "¿Quién fue Ignacio Trelles?". Esto (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  6. ^ Mamrud, Roberto (23 August 2018). "Ignacio Trelles Campos - International Matches as Coach". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Don Nacho Trelles, una carrera llena de éxitos en México" (in Spanish). ESPN México. 25 March 2025.
  8. ^ "¿Quién fue Don Nacho Trelles? La leyenda que llegó a los 103 años de vida" (in Spanish). Mediotiempo. 25 March 2025.
  9. ^ "100 años de Don 'Nacho' Trelles" (in Spanish). sopitas.com. 31 July 2016. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  10. ^ Murió Ignacio Trelles a los 103 años, mítico entrenador del fútbol mexicano (in Spanish)
  11. ^ Don Ignacio Trelles "murió en paz y en casa" (in Spanish)
  12. ^ a b "¿Quién era Nacho Trelles? El hombre que llevó al Cruz Azul a la gloria". Heraldo de México (in Spanish). 25 March 2020. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
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