Oswaldo Sánchez

Oswaldo Javier Sánchez Ibarra (born September 21, 1973 in Guadalajara, Jalisco) is a Mexico international goalkeeper currently playing for Santos Laguna in the Primera División de México, as their team captain (football).

Club career

Early career

Oswaldo Sanchez debuted with CF Atlas at the age of 20 on October 30, 1993 against CD Veracruz where the teams tied the game at 1-1. He debuted by entering as a sub when the goalkeeper injured himself in a strong accidental play. Two years after his debut, he was a starter on the team and led F.C. Atlas A.C. to the Quarterfinals where they were eliminated by CD Veracruz. In the summer of 1996, Sánchez was transferred to Club América, one of the most successful clubs in Mexico. Sánchez first season with América was a failure, as the club did not make it to playoffs and lost the Mexican Major football rivalries América vs Guadalajara against Chivas with an incredible score of 5-0. The following season, Sánchez was benched for the older and more experienced goalkeeper Hugo Pineda. Sánchez only played three out of 19 games, including the quarterfinals where América was eliminated by Monarcas Morelia. The following season, Sánchez went back into the starting line-up and led América to a disappointing elimination in the semifinals against Club Leon. His last three seasons with the club were stable, though the team managed to reach the semifinals once again, only to get eliminated. In the summer of 1999, Sánchez left América for their main rival, Chivas de Guadalajara.

Chivas de Guadalajara

At Chivas de Guadalajara, Sánchez consolidated himself as a mainstay in the team, and eventually as the team's captain (football). Since 1999, he helped qualify the team to the playoffs seven times, including one wild card, and the team was only eliminated three times out of eleven seasons, increasing his reputation as a goalkeeper. Throughout his career at Guadalajara, he has stayed the preferred goalkeeper in the team under 10 different coaches. His most notable season was Clausura 2004 tournament where arguably he led the team to the finals. Despite the team's relative success during Sánchez's time at Guadalajara, the club didn't win a title until December 10, 2006 when they defeated Toluca 3-2 in the aggregate. Oswaldo hoisted the championship trophy for the first time in his entire career.

Santos Laguna

In 2007 he signed a contract onto Santos Laguna and he has played against his ex-team and ex-team members Chivas de Guadalajara in a 3-2 loss. With Oswaldo Sanchez, Santos managed to stay in Primera Division and were not relegated to Primera A. Also, in Oswaldo's first season with Santos, he led them to the Quarterfinals of the Clausura 2007 tournament. However, this was accompanied by many injuries. In the Apertura 2007 he led Santos Laguna to win 5 games in a row until he was injured again and would missed the rest of the season.

In Clausura 2008, he started a bit rusty still recovering from his injury but has recovered, and has led Santos again to become one of the best teams in all of Mexico, being second after Chivas in the Clausura 2008 tournament.

In his return to Estadio Jalisco during the Clausura 2008 season to face Chivas de Guadalajara, he was strongly booed by the Guadalajara (Chivas) fans, whom they only reproached to have left the team by money. They threw false money to him (with his printed face), took placards with the writing of which he was no longer "San Oswaldo." Throughout the match, fans sang that he was a traitor. He won his 2nd Championship with Santos Laguna beating Cruz Azul 3-2 on aggregate.

International career

Sánchez played for the Mexican Youth National team in 1993's international FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia Coached by Juan de Dios Castillo.
Sánchez has also constantly been called up to play for the Mexican national team since his debut in 1996, against Bolivia. He has been part of three FIFA World Cups, in Football World Cup 1998, Football World Cup 2002, and Football World Cup 2006, although on the bench as back-up goalkeeper for the first two. He stole the spotlight in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, holding every opponent scoreless, and he was named the tournament's MVP and best goalkeeper.

Argentine Coach Ricardo la Volpe called up Sánchez once again on April 2 2006, to be the starting goalkeeper for the Mexican National Team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. While Oswaldo was preparing for the 2006 World Cup, his father died of a myocardial infarction on June 7, aged 56. Oswaldo flew home to Guadalajara, but returned to Germany in time for the team's first game against Iran, which they won by a score of 3-1..

In 2007, he was called up once again by new coach Hugo Sanchez to play for Mexico national football team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa América 2007

Oswaldo was selected to represent Mexico in recent friendlies against Ghana national football team and China national football team, his 1st callups since the Copa América 2007.

Oswaldo has announced his retirement after Fifa World Cup South Africa 2010

Chicago Arrest

On June 8, 2008 the Mexico national football team defeated Peru at the Chicago Soldier Field with a score of 4-0 favoring Mexico. But on the early morning of June 9, Sánchez was arrested at a hotel room due to complaints of other hotel guests that there was loud partying, talking and profanity. At that time he was accompanied by other teammates but none were taken. Sánchez was taken in to custody for questioning for about two hours but was then released with a $1,000 fine.
hi

Honours

Club

Chivas de Guadalajara
- Primera División de México - Primera División de México Apertura 2006

Santos Laguna
- Primera Division de Mexico - Primera División de México Clausura 2008

International

- 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Individual

- 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup - Best Goalkeeper
- Primera Division de Mexico Apertura 2002 - Best Goalkeeper
- Primera Division de Mexico Clausura 2003 - Best Goalkeeper
- Primera Division de Mexico Apertura 2005 - Best Goalkeeper