Club Tijuana (women)

Tijuana Femenil
Full nameClub Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente Femenil
Nickname(s)Las Xoloitzcuintles[1]
Perrísimas
Xolos Femenil
Rojinegras
Reinas del Mictlán
Xolas
FoundedDecember 5, 2016; 7 years ago (2016-12-05)
GroundEstadio Caliente
Capacity27,333
OwnerGrupo Caliente
ChairmanJorgealberto Hank Inzunsa
ManagerJuan Manuel Romo
LeagueLiga MX Femenil
Clausura 202411th
Websitehttps://www.xolos.com.mx

Club Tijuana Femenil is a Mexican professional women's football club based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The club competes in the Liga MX Femenil and has been the women’s section of Club Tijuana since 2016.[2][3] Estadio Caliente serves as the team's home venue.

Although the current iteration of Tijuana Femenil was established in late 2016 alongside the founding of Liga MX Femenil, Club Tijuana already had a professional women’s team prior to the league’s formation, which the club co-founded in 2014. This team, for a period of time, participated in the Women's Premier Soccer League in the United States.[4]

Personnel

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Club administration

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Position Staff
Chairman Mexico Jorgealberto Hank Inzunsa
Sporting director Mexico Fernando Arce

Source: Club Tijuana

Coaching staff

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Position Staff
Manager Mexico Juan Manuel Romo
Assistant manager Mexico Cristian Martínez
Fitness coach Mexico Jesús Burgos
Team doctor Mexico Alma Meza
Physiotherapist Mexico Jair Abizai Araiza

Source: Liga MX Femenil

History

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Beginnings

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On 5 December 2016, former Liga MX president, Enrique Bonilla, announced the establishment of a women's professional league in Mexico: the Liga MX Femenil. Under this initiative, each club in Liga MX would field a team in the new league.[5] Notoriously, even before the league's announcement, Club Tijuana already boasted a women's professional team, founded in 2014 in collaboration with the late Marbella Ibarra—who was a prominent advocate for women's football in Mexico and a local business owner in Tijuana.[6][4] The team competed in many regional tournaments within Mexico, and for a time, also in the Women's Premier Soccer League of the United States.[7]

Liga MX Femenil

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In February 2017, the club announced through its social media channels that it would be forming a women's side. That May, the 2017 Copa MX Femenil was contested between 12 teams, including Xolos Femenil. Las Perrísimas won their group, which also included Necaxa, Santos, and Rayadas. In the final, Tijuana fell 9–1 to Club Pachuca.

On July 29, 2017, led by technical director Andrea Rodebaugh, the Xolas debuted in Apertura 2017 on the road against Club América, a match they lost 1–0. Tijuana had been drawn into Group 2, along with América, Pachuca, Toluca, Pumas, Monarcas, Cruz Azul, and Veracruz.

The first goal by the Xoloitzcuintles in Liga MX Femenil was scored by Evelyn Fernández in week two of the Apertura tournament.

On 18 February 2020, Tijuana midfielder Valentina Oviedo, the Mexican-born daughter of former Colombian international footballer Frankie Oviedo, was called up to the Colombia women's national under-20 team.[8] It marked the first time a player from the Liga MX Femenil was called up to a foreign national team.

On July 8, 2021, Club Tijuana signed their first-ever foreign player, American striker Angelina Hix, from the Chilean club Santiago Morning. Hix had played in both the Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League.

Mexican-American forward Renae Cuéllar is the top scorer in club history, with 76 career goals for the Xolas.

Present

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Over the last two seasons, Tijuana has established itself as one of the most competitive clubs in the league, having qualified for two consecutive years to the Liguilla. During Clausura 2023, the club recorded their first ever victory in the Liguilla phase after beating Rayadas 2–0 at home in the first leg of the quarterfinals.[9]

Players

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Current squad

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As of 14 July 2024[2]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Mexico MEX Alejandra Gutiérrez
2 DF Mexico MEX Karen Díaz
3 DF Mexico MEX Nathaly Martínez
4 DF Mexico MEX Mónica Alvarado
5 MF Mexico MEX Andrea González
6 MF Mexico MEX Esmeralda Verdugo
7 MF Venezuela VEN Paola Villamizar
8 MF Mexico MEX Ammanda Marroquín
9 FW Mexico MEX Daniela Espinosa
10 MF Panama PAN Marta Cox
11 MF Mexico MEX Iraida Fernández
12 FW Costa Rica CRC Melissa Herrera
13 MF Mexico MEX Mayra Pelayo-Bernal
14 DF Costa Rica CRC Fabiola Villalobos
15 GK Mexico MEX Emily Alvarado
16 MF Mexico MEX Estefanía Izaguirre
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF Mexico MEX Daniela Carrandi
18 MF United States USA Natividad Martínez
19 FW Mexico MEX Mariana Munguía
21 MF Mexico MEX Inglis Hernández
22 DF United States USA Bianca Mora
23 GK Mexico MEX Itzayana González
24 DF Mexico MEX Michel Fong
26 DF Mexico MEX Claudia Cid
27 DF Mexico MEX Victoria López
28 DF Mexico MEX Bibiana Quintos
29 DF Mexico MEX Patricia Jardón
30 FW Guatemala GUA Aisha Solórzano
31 GK Mexico MEX Abril Montiel
33 GK United States USA Jazmín Reyes
35 MF Mexico MEX Litzy Esparza

Other players under contract

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Source: El Sol De Tijuana [10]

No. Pos. Nation Player
25 MF United States USA Angelina Hix (injured)

References

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  1. ^ "Con Doblete de Carolina Jaramillo, Xoloitzcuintles Femenil Liga DOS Ganados".
  2. ^ a b "LIGA MX Femenil - Página Oficial de la Liga Mexicana del Fútbol Profesional".
  3. ^ "Women's Copa MX kicks off in Toluca". 3 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b Lakhani, Nina (2018-10-21). "Pioneer of women's football in Mexico is latest victim of Tijuana violence". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  5. ^ "Mexico Will Have a Women's League Beginning in 2017". El Financiero. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  6. ^ Mancera, Diego (18 October 2018). "Secuestrada y asesinada Marbella Ibarra, pionera del fútbol femenino de México". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  7. ^ Marshall, Tom (27 August 2014). "Bridging the divide: Club Tijuana's women's team set to play in American league starting in May". MLS Soccer. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  8. ^ @flaco737 (18 February 2020). "CONVOCATORIA DE MI FLACA A LA SELECCIÓN COLOMBIA SUB20 SURAMERICANO FEMENINO" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 February 2020 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Hernández, Nestor (19 May 2023). "¡Caen las Rayadas! Tijuana hace pesar su localia con triunfo 2-0". Debate. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  10. ^ Romero, Marcos (24 January 2024). "Angelina Hix se perderá el torneo por lesión". El Sol De Tijuana (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 April 2024.