Manuel Lapuente, one of the most important and best coaches in Mexican Foootball history has passed away. A five time Liga MX winner with Club Puebla, Necaxa and America, he became Mexican National team Coach where he won a Gold Cup and led Mexico to one of their best ever performances in a World Cup in 1998. Yet a year later he had the biggest achievement when he coached Mexico to the 1999 Confederations Cup title, the biggest title won by a senior Mexican National Team.
Manuel Lapuente was born
on May 15, 1944 in the city of Puebla. As a player he would make his debut with Monterrey in 1964. In 1966 he would join the team where he would have most of his success as a player and coach with Necaxa. In 1967, with Necaxa, he would have his biggest achievement as a player where he would be part of the Mexican National team that would win gold for Mexico in the 1967 Pan American games. This was Mexico’s first gold medal in the Pan American Games, something the only won three times since then (1975, 1999, 2011). Lapuente would go on to join the team of his city, Puebla in 1970. Lapuente made the National team that would take part in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers held in Haiti. While Lapuente would score a goal in the tournament, Mexico would fail to qualify to the World Cup, missing out on a World Cup for the first time since 1938 and Lapuente lost his opportunity to play in a World Cup. He would join Atlas in 1974 before retiring as a player in 1975.
Manuel Lapuente started his club career in his hometown club Puebla in 1978. He would last from 1978 all the way to 1984. During this time he would win Puebla’s first ever Liga MX title in the 1982-1983 season where they defeated Chivas in the Final. After his spell there, he would move to Tigres where he lasted there from 1984 to 1986. In 1986 he would return to Puebla but this time to the Angeles team. He would only last a year before going to Atlante, where he would coach just a year. He would have a very short spell coaching Cruz Azul before returning to Puebla that same year. Once again he would have a great spell in Puebla, where he would win the only other league title by Puebla (which means Lapuente won both of them) in the 1989-1990 season after defeating Universidad de Guadalajara in the final. Lapuente would also win the Copa de Mexico and the only CONCACAF Champions Cup in Puebla’s history in 1991. Lapuente success in Puebla led him to become the coach of the Mexican National team but after a disastrous loss in the first ever Gold Cup in 1991 against the United States, he would resign.
In 1994, Lapuente would return to coach in another club he played, Necaxa. With Necaxa he would have his most successful spell as a club coach. He would lead Necaxa to their first Liga MX titles in the modern era when he won back to back titles in the 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 titles. He would also coach the team to the final in the first ever short season tournaments (which is what we currently have as a system in Liga MX) but they lost their chances to a three peat after losing that final against Santos Laguna. Lapuente’s success led to a controversial movement by fan’s and owners that ended with Manuel Lapuente replacing Bora Milutinovic as National team coach. Lapuente would coach the National team from 1997 to 2000. That spell is one of the best if not the top eras of the National team. Lapuente would win the 1998 Gold Cup, have a great performance in the 1999 World Cup and win the 1999 Confederations Cup in a spell that deserves a future recap.
After a controversial end to his tenure in the National team (in which he resigned after qualifying Mexico the final round of the 2002 World Cup qualifiers), Lapuente would coach in Atlante, where although his team would be relegated, they would win the playoff against Veracruz and stay in first division although like with the National team, Lapuente would end his tenure after that victory. Lapuente would become coach of Club America in 2001 until 2003. During this time he would win his final Liga MX title in the Verano 2002, the first title since 1990. He would move on from coach to the sporting director of the team, leaving his protege Mario Carrillo. Lapuente would return to coach the team in 2006 where he would win his final title in 2oo6. He would have a short spell in Tigres 2008 before returning to Club America from 2010 to 2011 in his last important job. Finally he would have a short spell in 2013 with his hometown club, Puebla.
Manuel Lapuente was an historic coach in Mexican football. In my opinion he’s the best ever Mexican National team coach but while that is an opinion, he had the biggest achievement for the Senior National team with the 1999 Confederations Cup (the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal was an achievement of the U23 National Team). Lapuente is part of Mexican history and is also a member of the Hall of Fame. Quite simply a legend. He will be missed and may he rest in peace.
