When the USMNT and Mexico met on Nov. 12 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, it marked the 73rd clash between the two giants of the CONCACAF region. On Mar. 24 we’ll do it all again, adding another monumental World Cup qualifying chapter to a rivalry that really doesn’t need any pretense to get the blood boiling.
A look at the USA vs Mexico top scorers of all time paints a picture of how the border battle has historically played out. Between 1934 and 1977, the U.S. won a single match, drew three and lost 22. At that point, the truth was self-evident: Fútbol in North America belonged to one nation and one nation alone.
But the past 40+ years have shifted the paradigm. Over that period, the U.S. has won 22, drawn 11 and lost 16. Over that period, Mexico’s dominance of the scoring charts has been disrupted by the likes of Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley — players who not only played with a level of international consistency that the U.S. had never seen before, but who clearly enjoyed sticking it to Mexico time after time.
El Tri hasn’t gotten that same level of production from its goalscoring stars over the last couple decades. Javier “Chicharito” Hernández is Mexico’s all-time leader with 52, but he only scored twice against the U.S. Likewise, Jared Borgetti is second with 46 but only got two against the Yanks. Cuauhtémoc Blanco also only scored two, including zero after the turn of the century despite carrying on until 2014. For reference, Frankie Hejduk, Josh Wolff and Bobby Wood have all scored twice against Mexico.
Who could possibly join the top 10 this cycle? Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie have both now scored twice against Mexico, while Mexico has gotten single goals from attackers like Érick Gutiérrez, Uriel Antuna, Jesús Manuel Corona and Diego Lainez in recent times.
USA Vs Mexico Top Scorers Of All Time (Updated 2021)
#10. George Nemchik (USA) — 3 goals
The Temple University graduate won the U.S. Open Cup three times, represented the U.S. at the 1936 Olympic Games and won three caps — all against Mexico — in 1937. Although the U.S. lost those three matches by a combined score of 19-6, the Pennsylvania native scored three goals for the Americans.
#10. Luis “Tití” García Cortina (MEX) – 3 goals
On the opposite side of those Mexico beatdowns administered to the U.S. in the 1930s, Tití’s club career included stops with Necaxa, América and Argentina’s Vélez Sarsfield.
#10. Jose Adal Lopez (MEX) — 3 goals
I can’t really find any information on this guy other than that he loved banging them in against the United States of America.
#6. Luis de la Fuente (MEX) — 4 goals
One of Mexico’s earliest legends, De La Fuente played professionally in four different countries (Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Paraguay) over the course of a glittering 21-year career. Better than all that was his nickname: The Pirate.
#6. Francisco Arguelles (MEX) — 4 goals
Another player that really enjoyed how Mexico’s first 11 meetings against the U.S. included 59 goals for El Tri.
#6. Alfredo Hernandez (MEX) — 4 goals
The midfielder played for León, Monterrey and represented Mexico at both the 1958 and 1962 World Cups.
#6. Aldo "Buff" Donelli (USA) — 4 goals
The first-ever match between the U.S. and Mexico was played to determine who would reach the 1934 World Cup in Italy. Staged in Rome — so the winner got to stay, the loser went home — the Americans triumphed 4-2 with every goal from Aldo “Buff” Donelli.
He would go on to score America's only goal at the tournament, play some club ball around the U.S., coach college football, move up to coaching in the NFL (including a short stint at the helm of the Pittsburgh Steelers) and then work in public relations for the PGA. He was clearly a sporting man.
#5. Michael Bradley (USA) — 5 goals
With 17 goals in his international career, almost 30% of them came against Mexico. He famously scored a brace to give the U.S. a 2-0 win in Columbus during qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, as well as the opener at the 2011 Gold Cup Final and that preposterous lob to help the U.S. escape the Azteca with a draw in 2018 World Cup OHGODNO.
#2. Horacio Casarín (MEX) — 6 goals
Another early legend of Mexico’s national team, Casarín’s early exploits in Mexico led to a stint with FC Barcelona in Spain. He represented his country at the 1950 World Cup and scored in the group finale against Switzerland.
#2. Manuel Alonso Pría (MEX) — 6 goals
Played briefly in Spain. Hammered the USA in the 1930s.
#2. Landon Donovan (USA) — 6 goals
A lot of people like to think that they’re roasting Donovan by sharing his “MY OTHER TEAM IS MEXICO” advertisement, but those people don’t understand that Donovan is their father.
#EURO2020 #CopaAmerica #OTD #OnThisDay #WorldCup 2002 Round 16 #Korea #Japan #MEX #USA #Mexico #UnitedStates #USMNT
Mexico 0-2 USA
0-2 65' Landon Donovan pic.twitter.com/Nf6NyssxCW— Football Rewind (@FIFAWCArchive) June 17, 2021
#1. Salvador “Chava” Reyes (MEX) — 7
Born in Guadalajara and a legend for Chivas, Reyes was a constant menace for the United States through three different qualifying campaigns — 1958, 1962 and 1966.
All Time USA Goal Scorers Vs Mexico
1. Aldo ‘Buff’ Donelli
2. Aldo ‘Buff’ Donelli (2)
3. Aldo ‘Buff’ Donelli (3)
4. Aldo ‘Buff’ Donelli (4)
5. Alexander Rae
6. John McEwan
7. Alexander Rae (2)
8. George Nemchick
9. George Nemchick (2)
10. George Nemchick (3)
11. John Souza
12. Ben Watman
13. William Looby
14. Eddie Murphy
15. Eddie Murphy (2)
16. Helmut Bicek
17. Karl Fister
18. Al Zerhusen
19. Walter Shmotolocha
20. Helmut Bicek (2)
21. Willy Roy
22. Gene Geimer
23. Dennis Vaninger
24. Rick Davis
25. Steve Moyers
26. Steve Moyers (2)
27. Perry van der Beck
28. Dante Washington
29. Bruce Murray
30. John Doyle
31. Peter Vermes
32. Cobi Jones
33. Roy Wegerle
34. Roy Wegerle (2)
35. Tom Dooley
36. John Harkes
37. Claudio Reyna
38. Eric Wynalda
39. Tom Dooley (2)
40. Frenkie Hejduk
41. Brian McBride
42. Frankie Hejduk (2)
43. Ante Razov
44. Landon Donovan
45. Josh Wolff
46. Josh Wolff (2)
47. Earnie Stewart
48. Clint Mathis
49. John O’Brien
50. Landon Donovan (2)
51. Eddie Pope
52. Eddie Lewis
53. Steve Ralston
54. DaMarcus Beasley
55. Jimmy Conrad
56. Landon Donovan (3)
57. Landon Donovan (4)
58. Benny Feilhaber
59. Oguchi Onyewu
60. Jozy Altidore
61. Michael Bradley
62. Michael Bradley (2)
63. Charlie Davies
64. Michael Bradley (3)
65. Landon Donovan (5)
66. Robbie Rogers
67. Michael Orozco
68. Eddie Johnson
69. Landon Donovan (6)
70. Michael Bradley (4)
71. Chris Wondolowski
72. Jordan Morris
73. Juan Agudelo
74. Geoff Cameron
75. Bobby Wood
76. Bobby Wood (2)
77. Michael Bradley (5)
78. Tyler Adams
79. Giovanni Reyna
80. Weston McKennie
81. Christian Pulisic
82. Miles Robinson
83. Christian Pulisic (2)
84. Weston McKennie (2)
All Time Mexico Goal Scorers Vs USA
1. Manuel Alonso
2. Nicho Mejia
3. Jose Lopez Herranz
4. Manuel Alonso (2)
5. Manuel Alonso (3)
6. Francisco Arguelles
7. Francisco Arguelles (2)
8. Horacio Casarin Garcialazo
9. Jose Lopez Herranz (2)
10. Horacio Casarin Garcialazo (2)
11. Manuel Alonso (4)
12. Horacio Casarin Garcialazo (3)
13. Manuel Alonso (5)
14. Luis Garcia Cortina
15. Manuel Alonso (6)
16. Francisco Arguelles (3)
17. Luis Garcia Cortina (2)
18. Luis Garcia Cortina (3)
19. Efrain Ruiz
20. Efrain Ruiz (2)
21. Francisco Arguelles (4)
22. Jose Adal Lopez
23. Jose Adal Lopez (2)
24. Angelillo Segura
25. Rodrigo Ruiz
26. Jose Adal Lopez (3)
27. Antonio Flores Rodriguez
28. Luis Luna Barragan
29. Luis de la Fuente
30. Luis de la Fuente (2)
31. Luis de la Fuente (3)
32. Carlos Septien Gonzalez
33. Hector Ortiz Benitez
34. Horacio Casarin Garcialazo (4)
35. Horacio Casarin Garcialazo (5)
36. Luis de la Fuente (4)
37. Mario Ochoa Gil
38. Horacio Casarin Garcialazo (6)
39. Tomas Balcazar Gonzalez
40. WILLIAM SCHEMEL OWN GOAL
41. Jose-Luis Lamadrid Cano
42. Jose Naranjo Rivera
43. Alfredo Torres
44. Jose-Luis Lamadrid Cano (2)
45. Alfredo Torres (2)
46. Crescencio Gutierrez
47. Crescencio Gutierrez (2)
48. Salvador Reyes
49. Alfredo Hernandez
50. Salvador Reyes (2)
51. Salvador Reyes (3)
52. Alfredo Hernandez (2)
53. Alfredo Hernandez (3)
54. Crescencio Gutierrez (3)
55. Hector Hernandez Garcia
56. Enrique Sesma
57. Alfredo Hernandez (4)
58. Hector Hernandez Garcia (2)
59. Sigfrido Mercado
60. Salvador Reyes (4)
61. Salvador Reyes (5)
62. Sigfrido Mercado (2)
63. Salvador Reyes (6)
64. Isidoro Diaz
65. Jose Luiz Gonzalez
66. Salvador Reyes (7)
67. Isidoro Diaz (2)
68. Ramiro Navarro De Anda
69. Cesareo Victorino
70. Fernando Bustos
71. Enrique Borja
72. Sergio Ceballos
73. Juan Manuel Borbolla
74. Cesareo Victorino (2)
75. Fernando Bustos (2)
76. DAVID D’ERRICO OWN GOAL
77. Horacio Lopez Salgado
78. Horacio Lopez Salgado (2)
79. Rene Trujillo
80. Jose Delgado
81. Enrique Borja (2)
82. Francisco Solis
83. Pedro Damian Alvarez
84. Hugo Davila
85. Leonardo Cuellar
86. Alfredo ‘Alacran’ Jimenez
87. Cristobal Ortega Martinez
88. Hugo Sanchez
89. Adrian Camacho
90. Guillermo Mendizabal
91. Jose Luiz Gonzalez
92. Adrian Camacho (2)
93. Hugo Sanchez (2)
94. Juarez
95. Gonzalo Farfan Infante
96. A Valdez
97. Missile Espinoza
98. Ignacio Ambriz
99. DESMOND ARMSTRONG OWN GOAL
100. Luis Roberto Alves
101. Guillermo Cantu
102. Joaquin del Olmo
103. Jose Rafael Garcia
104. Cuauhtémoc Blanco
105. Luis Roberto Alves (2)
106. Alberto Garcia Aspe
107. Luis Hernandez
108. Jose Abounds
109. ROBIN FRASER OWN GOAL
110. Cuauhtémoc Blanco (2)
111. Jared Borgetti
112. Jared Borgetti (2)
113. Antonio Naelson
114. Andres Guardado
115. Jonny Magellon
116. Jonny Magellon (2)
117. Gerardo Torrado
118. Giovani dos Santos
119. Carlos Vela
120. Israel Castro
121. Guillermo Franco
122. Israel Castro (2)
123. Miguel Sabah
124. Pablo Barrera
125. Andres Guardado (2)
126. Pablo Barrera (2)
127. Giovani dos Santos (2)
128. Oribe Peralta
129. Rafa Marquez
130. Alan Pulido
131. Chicharito
132. Oribe Peralta (2)
133. Paul Aguilar
134. Miguel Layun
135. Rafa Marquez (2)
136. Carlos Vela (2)
137. Jonathan dos Santos
138. Chicharito (2)
139. Erick Gutierrez
140. Uriel Antuna
141. Jesus Corona
142. Diego Lainez
*Both teams are missing two goals (USA should have 84, Mexico should have 144). 11v11.com is missing a couple match reports from long ago, and I invite you to figure it out and email me*
