#9 Guillermo Franco Country: Mexico Height: 1.82 m5-11 Birthdate: 03/11/1976 Position: Forward Weight: 77 kg169 lbs Birthplace: Corrientes, Argentina Team:  League:

Bio

Franco is a veteran of the Mexican national team despite being born in Argentina. The forward started his club career in his native country with San Lorenzo before moving to Monterrey in Mexico, where he helped it to the 2003 Clausura title. He followed that by leading the league in scoring in 2004, finding the net 21 times in 17 games. Franco became a Mexican citizen in '04 and was called to the national team the following year before being named to the 2006 World Cup squad. His initial inclusion in the national side was controversial as some Mexican fans felt a foreign-born player wasn't needed. While the controversy subsided, Franco became a key player for "El Tri" and helped it qualify for a fifth consecutive World Cup appearance in 2010. One of his goals helped power a 3-0 win at Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier Sept. 5, 2009. He was key in helping Mexico win the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, scoring the final tally in a 5-0 win over the United States in the final. Franco's club career sputtered after he was transferred to Villarreal of Spain's La Liga in 2006. There, he struggled with injuries before moving to West Ham United of the English Premier League last summer.

Player Stats