José Omar Mendiburu Cruz (24 April 1960 â 7 March 2025) was a Mexican professional footballer who played as forward. He played 13 seasons in the Mexican Primera División with Cruz Azul (where he won the 1979âÂÂ80 and 1980-81 championships), Deportivo Neza, Oaxtepec, Tigres UANL, Puebla and Tampico Madero. He also represented Mexico at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Mendiburu was born on 24 April 1960 in Colonia Guerrero, Mexico City. He started playing football in the Deportivo Plan Sexenal, a sports center in the Miguel Hidalgo borough. He joined the academy of Cruz Azul in 1972. He won the 1977âÂÂ78 reserves championship and finished as the top scorer of the tournament with 27 goals.
Mendiburu made his professional debut with Cruz Azul during the 1978âÂÂ79 Mexican Primera División season. He won back-to-back championships with Cruz Azul in the 1979âÂÂ80 and 1980âÂÂ81 seasons, playing a key role in the teamâÂÂs attack. In 1981, he transferred to Deportivo Neza, where he played the next two seasons. In 1983, he joined Oaxtepec for the clubâÂÂs final season, scoring the last goal in the teamâÂÂs history on 12 May 1984 at the Estadio OlÃÂmpico de Oaxtepec against Leones Negros UdeG.
In 1984, he joined Tigres UANL, where he played until 1986. The next season he signed with Puebla, where he played 54 matches, scoring 13 goals and winning the 1987âÂÂ88 Copa México. In 1988 he returned to Tigres UANL, and he played his last professional season in 1989âÂÂ90 with Tampico Madero.
Mendiburu was part of the Mexican squad that participated in the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship played in Japan. He started in two matches, against Algeria and Spain and played as a substitute against Japan.
On 11 November 2024, Mendiburu was hospitalized in the General Hospital of Mexico and required blood donations. He died on 7 March 2025 in Mexico City, aged 64.
Cruz Azul
Puebla