Claudio Suárez — El Emperador of the Azteca

At the heart of the Estadio Azteca, Claudio Suárez stood like a monolith of the Mexican defense. They called him 'El Emperador' because he ruled the backline with a quiet, steely authority that demanded respect from every striker on the planet. With over 170 caps for El Tri, Claudio was the spine of a nation, most notably during the 1999 Confederations Cup final. Under the thinning air of the high altitude, he marshaled his troops against the giants of Brazil, securing a victory that echoed through the concrete rafters forever.