MEXICO CITY: Mexican football is in mourning for Nacho Trelles, legendary former club and national team coach, who has died at 103 writes KEIR RADNEDGE.
Trelles’s death, from a heart attack, was announced by one of his former and favourite clubs, Cruz Azul. Until comparatively recently he had been a regular spectator at training sessions and matches.
The career of Ignacio Trelles began as a player with Necaxa in 1934, the year they won the league and cup. They were champions again for the two following seasons before he transferred to America, Monterrey, Chicago Vikings and Atlante. The last move proved unlucky for Trelles who had to retire after a double leg fracture which left him with a permanent limp.
Trelles made his debut as a coach in 1950 with Zacatepec whom he brought up out of the second division. He took Marte and then Zacatec (twice) to league titles. His success earned a part-time role as assistant national team manager to Antonio Loez Hernan at the 1958 World Cup finals.
Trelles was senior coach at the 1962 and 1966 World Cups in Chile and England. In Chile he guided Mexico to their first victory in the finals by 3-1 against eventual runners-up Czechoslovakia. Two more league titles followed with Cruz Azul.
His held a record with 1,083 games as a top division coach in Mexico and he and Víctor Manuel Vucetich were the only two coaches to have been crowned league champions with four different clubs.
** Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Trelles Campos: born July 31, 1916; died March 25, 2020.
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