From Striker to Governor: How Cuauhtémoc Blanco became top politician with presidential support

Cuauhtémoc Blanco is one of the most popular Mexican footballers in recent times. Despite playing predominantly in the Primera Division/Liga MX (first division) of Mexican football, he is regarded highly as a successful footballer. Blanco had spells with Club America, Veracruz and Puebla and Santos Laguna in the Primera Division/Liga MX while also taking in a 2-year spell in the Spanish La Liga with Real Valladolid. His last move abroad was a 2-year stint with Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer (MLS) between 2007 and 2009. Cuauhtémoc Blanco  is now a politician and has transitioned fully away from the round leather game.

Cuauhtémoc Blanco football career statistics and records

Cuauhtémoc Blanco started his career as a footballer with Club America in the 1992/93 season.  He played there till 2000, only truncated by a 2-year loan spell at Nexaca from 1997 - 1999, making 158 appearances and scoring 55 goals in all during his first stint with America. What followed was his famous loan to Real Valladolid in the Spanish La Liga. Cuauhtémoc Blanco though had a horrible time in Spain, playing only 3 games in his first season (2000/01) due to an 8-month injury sustained while on international duty. He came back to make 20 appearances for Valladolid the following season, but 3 goals wasn't enough to convince the Spanish side to sign him on a permanent deal.

After leaving Real Valladolid, Cuauhtémoc Blanco went back to Club America whilst also playing for Veracruz, Chicago Fire (MLS), Irapuato, Santos Laguna, Dorados, Lobos BUAP, and Puebla. Blanco hung up his boots in 2016 after one final season at Club America. Throughout the course of his club career, Blanco 187 goals and made 595 appearances.

How did Cuauhtémoc Blanco enter into politics? 

Cuauhtémoc Blanco came into politics in 2015 when he registered for the municipal presidential elections of Cuernavaca, the capital city of Morelos, a state in his native Mexico. Blanco registered under the aegis of the Social Democratic Party where he also received official nomination as the party's candidate for the election. Blanco defeated Maricela Velázquez of the incumbent Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) to become the Municipal President of Cuernavaca. His reign lasted for 3 years before transitioning to be the Governor of Morelos in 2018.

While Blanco was Municipal President, he left the Social Democratic Party in 2017 to join the Social Encounter Party. In January 2018, Blanco received the backing of Presidential candidate, Andres Manuel Lopes Obrador to be the Gubernatorial candidate for the Juntos Haremos Historia (a coalition party) for the Morelos State. On July 1st, 2018, Blanco won the Governorship elections by a landslide and he was sworn in as the Governor of Morelos on October 1st, 2018.