The Seattle Sounders are hosting Liga MX’s Tigres on Tuesday (7 p.m. PT; ESPN2, El Rey 1360 AM | TICKETS) in the Leagues Cup. Here is everything you need to know about the Mexican giants.
Full club name: Club de Fútbol Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
Founded: 1960
Location: San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León
Stadium: Estadio Universitario de Nuevo León (capacity: 42,000)
Club honors:
- Seven Liga MX titles
- One Copa MX title
- Three Campeón de Campeones titles
- One Concacaf Champions League title
- 2021 Club World Cup runner-up
Manager: Miguel “El Piojo” Herrera
Herrera is one of the most decorated Mexican managers of all time, having spent the past 20 years coaching throughout Liga MX. He also managed the Mexican national team from 2013-15, including during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
2021 Apertura standings: 1-1-0 (3 points, 10th place)
Liga MX All-Stars: The Sounders had a club-record six players selected to the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, in which the best of MLS will take on the best of Liga MX for the first time when they battle at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles on Aug. 25. Tigres’ André-Pierre Gignac and Guido Pizarro were selected to participate by Liga MX and Cruz Azul Head Coach Juan Reynoso.
Players to know:
- André-Pierre Gignac: The imposing forward joined Tigres from France’s Marseille in 2015 and in just six years has cemented himself as one of Liga MX’s all-time greatest goalscorers. The former French international has scored 128 times in 222 matches entering the 2021 Apertura and is already the club’s leader in career goals. Though he’s turning 36 in December, he’s shown no signs of slowing down and is coming off scoring four goals for France at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
- Florian Thauvin: The French connection continues as Gignac’s former Marseille teammate Thauvin joined Tigres this past offseason. A 28-year-old winger, Thauvin was a part of France’s 2018 FIFA World Cup-winning squad.
- Carlos Salcedo: The former Real Salt Lake Homegrown joined Tigres after a three-year spell in Europe with Italy’s Fiorentina and Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt. The 27-year-old center back has 48 caps for the Mexican national team and was a part of El Tri’s 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup side that fell in the final to the United States on Aug. 1.
