Isaác Brizuela Muñoz is an American-born Mexican professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Guadalajara. He is sometimes referred to by his nickname Conejito. Brizuela was born in the United States to Mexican parents who worked in California at the time. His family returned to their hometown of Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco when he was two years old. He began playing football in his town until he was scouted to play for Toluca's youth squad in Guadalajara. Brizuela was promoted to the club's first-team squad in 2009 after good performances with the club's farm team, Atlético Mexiquense, from the second division. He also had a brief loan-spell with Club Atlas in 2013.
Brizuela debuted with Toluca on 26 July 2009 in the 2009 Apertura against Guadalajara. He won the 2010 Bicentenario tournament with Toluca, his first professional championship. In January 2013 Brizuela was loaned to Atlas for six months in order to get more playing time. His successful campaign at Atlas, where he was crucial for the team finishing the 2013 Clausura in third place, entering the quarterfinals and avoiding relegation, prompted Toluca coach José Cardozo to include him in the club's squad once again.
International career
In May 2013, Brizuela revealed that he was born in San Jose, California to Mexican parents even though he had initially reported to the FMF that he was born in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco. Therefore, he was eligible to play for either the United States, even if he did not speak English, and Mexico. Mexico head coachJosé Manuel de la Torre listed Brizuela in Mexico's 35-man preliminary squad for the Gold Cup due to his good performances with Atlas. He was subsequently included in the final 23-player squad. Brizuela made his first competitive appearance for Mexico with the senior squad in a 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Panama that also, given his dual US-Mexican citizenship, cap-tied him to Mexico. He was included in Miguel Herrera 23-man world cup squad, but didn't appear in any matches.
