| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel Lapuente Díaz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1944-05-15)15 May 1944 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Teziutlán, Puebla, Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 25 October 2025(2025-10-25) (aged 81) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Puebla City, Puebla, Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1964–1966 | Monterrey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1970 | Necaxa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1974 | Puebla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974–1975 | Atlas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1967–1973 | Mexico | 13 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1984 | Puebla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1986 | Tigres UANL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | Ángeles de Puebla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Atlante | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | Cruz Azul | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1993 | Puebla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | Mexico (caretaker) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Necaxa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Atlante | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | América | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | América | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Tigres UANL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | América | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Puebla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manuel Lapuente Díaz (15 May 1944 – 25 October 2025) was a Mexican professionalfootballer andmanager.
Over the course of more than three decades, Lapuente established himself as one of the most successful managers in Mexican football. He took charge of seven different clubs in Mexico and secured fivePrimera División championships with three of them. He is also remembered as the strategist who guided theMexico national team to its greatest international triumph: the1999 FIFA Confederations Cup.[1]
Born inPuebla on 15 May 1944, Lapuente began his professional career with Monterrey in 1964.[2] He later played for Necaxa, Puebla, and Atlas, before retiring in 1975. Although he never won a league title as a player, he did achieve international success with the Mexico national team, earning 13 caps and winning the gold medal at the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada.[2]
Following his retirement, Lapuente transitioned to coaching. In a managerial journey spanning 35 years, he took charge of iconic Mexican clubs such asPuebla,Tigres UANL,Ángeles de Puebla,Atlante,Cruz Azul,Necaxa, andAmérica. His managerial achievements include fivePrimera División championships: Puebla (1982–83, 1989–90), Necaxa (1994–95, 1995–96), and América (Verano 2002).
His achievements at the club level earned him two appointments as manager of theMexico national team. His first tenure, in 1990, was brief, encompassing only 11 matches. His second tenure, from 1997 to 2000, proved more significant, as it was during this period that Lapuente established his lasting legacy.
In 1999, he led Mexico to capture its most prestigious senior international title to date: theFIFA Confederations Cup. In a dramatic final at theEstadio Azteca, Mexico defeatedBrazil, etching Lapuente’s name permanently into the annals of Mexican football.[1][2][3]
Lapuente also coached Mexico at the1998 FIFA World Cup in France. The team advanced from the group stage and was knocked out byGermany in the Round of 16.
Lapuente died on the afternoon of 25 October 2025, due to serious complications arising from severe pneumonia, which had been ongoing for several months. He was 81.[4][5]
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Mexico | 1997 | 2000 | 67 | 33 | 18 | 16 | 049.25 |
| Total | 67 | 33 | 18 | 16 | 049.25 | ||
Puebla
Necaxa
América
Mexico
Mexico squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
