{{short description|Mexican footballer (born 1988)}} {{BLP sources|date=April 2008}} {{Infobox football biography | name= Omar Esparza | image = | fullname = Omar Alejandro Esparza Morales<ref name="FIFA">{{Cite web |title=FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players |url=http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2007/pdf/FWYC_2007_SquadLists.pdf |publisher=FIFA |page=14 |date=5 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231000046/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2007/pdf/FWYC_2007_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=31 December 2013}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|5|21}} | birth_place = Tototlán, Jalisco, Mexico | height = {{height|m=1.81}} | currentclub = Halcones (Assistant) | position = Right-back | youthyears1 = 2005–2006 | youthclubs1 = Tapatío | years1 = 2005–2015 | years2 = 2013 | years3 = 2015–2016 | years4 = 2017–2019 | years5 = 2020 | clubs1 = Guadalajara | clubs2 = → San Luis (loan) | clubs3 = → Pachuca (loan) | clubs4 = Tampico Madero | clubs5 = Los Cabos | caps1 = 170 | goals1 = 3 | caps2 = 16 | goals2 = 0 | caps3 = 4 | goals3 = 0 | caps4 = 60 | goals4 = 1 | caps5 = 0 | goals5 = 0 | manageryears1 = 2021 | managerclubs1 = CAFESSA Jalisco (Assistant) | manageryears2 = 2021 | managerclubs2 = CAFESSA Jalisco | manageryears3 = 2024– | managerclubs3 = Halcones (Assistant) | nationalyears1 = 2005 | nationalyears2 = 2007 | nationalyears3 = 2007–2008 | nationalteam1 = Mexico U17 | nationalteam2 = Mexico U20 | nationalteam3 = Mexico | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 3 | nationalcaps2 = 7 | nationalgoals2 = 1 | nationalcaps3 = 4 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{MEX}} }} {{MedalSport|Men's football}} {{MedalCompetition|FIFA U-17 World Cup}} {{Medal|Winner|2005 Peru|}} }} {{family name hatnote|Esparza|Morales|lang=Spanish}}

'''Omar Alejandro Esparza Morales''' (born 21 May 1988) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a right-back and manager. He is the brother of the professional football player, Rigoberto Esparza.

==Club career== [[Image:Guadalajara Chivas vs Juventus FC, 2011, Reto Ziegler.jpg|thumb|Esparza (left) playing against Juventus in 2011]] Esparza made his debut on October 15, 2005, against CF Monterrey, playing only 12 minutes. He had switched playing time between Chivas and CD Tapatio since then, with a brief stay in Chivas Coras in the 2004–2006 season.<ref>{{Medio Tiempo|omar-esparza}}</ref>

He took part in Chivas's Championship win in the Apertura 2006.

Esparza was given high praise by Mexico coach Javier Aguirre for his performances and was expected to cement a place in the 2010 World Cup starting line-up. However a knee injury picked up in the final game of the season ended his world cup hopes and he is not expected to be back in full training until June 2010.

==International career== Omar Esparza has played with the Mexico national football team in three categories.

He was present with the Mexico U-17 Team, in which he and his teammates won the U-17 World Cup in Peru in 2005. He played in the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship Match where Mexico obtained the cup against Brazil. The score was 3–0, and Esparza scored the 2nd goal of the final.<ref>{{cite web | title=Omar Esparza Morales | url= http://www.chivascampeon.com/jugadores/descripcion.php?id=19 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070317010400/http://www.chivascampeon.com/jugadores/descripcion.php?id=19 | url-status= usurped | archive-date= March 17, 2007 | publisher= Chivas Sitio Oficial | access-date=2009-08-01|language=es}}</ref>

He has also played with U-20 in the FIFA U-20 World Cup that was held in Canada where he was an important player. Mexico played well but was eliminated by Argentina in the quarter-finals, losing 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by Maximiliano Moralez after bouncing the ball off a Mexican defender in the 45th minute .

On August 22, 2007, Esparza made his first appearance for the senior side.

== Career Statistics== ''As of 16 April 2008'' {| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="font-size:100%" |- !colspan="7"|'''International appearances''' |- ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Competition |- | 1. || 22 August 2007 || Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, United States || {{fb|COL}} || '''0–'''1 || Friendly |- | 2. || 9 September 2007 || Estadio Cuauhtemoc, Puebla, Mexico || {{fb|PAN}} || '''1'''–0 || Friendly |- | 3. || 17 October 2007 || Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States || {{fb|GUA}} || 2–3 || Friendly |- | 4. || 16 April 2008 || Qwest Field, Seattle, United States || {{fb|CHN}} || 1–0 || Friendly |} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.femexfut.org.mx/portalv2/secciones.aspx?s=999&ep=171 |title=Omar Esparza's National Team Appearances |access-date=2014-02-06 |archive-date=2011-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716055941/http://www.femexfut.org.mx/portalv2/secciones.aspx?s=999&ep=171 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Honours== '''Guadalajara''' *Mexican Championship: Apertura 2006 *InterLiga: 2009

'''Pachuca''' *Liga MX: Clausura 2016

'''Mexico U17''' *FIFA U-17 World Championship: 2005

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{NFT player|id=23306}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Esparza, Omar}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Jalisco Category:Men's association football full-backs Category:Mexico men's international footballers Category:Mexico men's under-20 international footballers Category:Mexico men's youth international footballers Category:C.D. Guadalajara footballers Category:San Luis F.C. players Category:C.F. Pachuca players Category:Club Jaiba Brava footballers Category:Liga MX players Category:Mexican men's footballers Category:21st-century Mexican sportsmen