"El Bofo" is coming to MLS – finally.
Chivas USA announced on Tuesday the signing of the former Mexican national team forward who earned a sort of legendary status with Monarcas Morelia and CD Guadalajara in the early to mid-2000s. Adolfo “El Bofo” Bautista has long been rumored to be heading to MLS, but it never transpired until now.
Bautista will join Chivas USA as a free agent via discovery from his former club, Atlético San Luis, pending the arrival of his International Transfer Certificate. Terms of the agreement will not be disclosed due to league and club policy.
While the 34-year-old may be on the tail end of his career, making unremarkable stops most recently with Querétaro and second-tier San Luis, his name still carries a certain caché with Mexican soccer fans.
Born in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, Bautista began his professional career with Estudiantes Tecos in 1998. The striker’s career grew with his arrival to Morelia beginning in 2002, where he helped lead his new club to two finals.
Bautista moved on to a season with Pachuca, where he celebrated his first title as a member of the Tuzos.
The 6-foot forward then entered one of the most celebrated stages of his career in 2004 with Chivas Guadalajara, where helped lead the Rebaño Sagrado to two finals, including the 2006 title under the guidance of former Mexican national team coach José Manuel de la Torre.
"Bofo" etched his name in Chivas lore in the 2006 Apertura finas by scoring the clinching goal against Deportivo Toluca FC in the second leg.
- Get more Chivas news at CDChivasUSA.com
Bautista was also a key figure in the club’s historic run in 2010 to the final of the prestigious Copa Libertadores during his second stint with the club under former Chivas USA head coach José Luis “Güero” Real.
At the international level, Bautista made his debut with Mexico’s national team under Javier Aguirre on Jan. 19, 2002, in a 1-0 victory over El Salvador.
With 38 caps and 11 goals with El Tri, the forward was part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad that competed in South Africa. In addition, Bautista was part of the Mexican squads at the Copa América in both Peru 2004 and Venezuela 2007.
