Ernesto Farías
A powerful Argentine striker known for his lethal left foot and aerial dominance, terrorizing defenses across South America and Mexico.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Argentine footballer·Birthday: May 29·Generation X
Biography
Ernesto 'Tecla' Farías was a classic number nine, a battering ram of a forward who made his living in the six-yard box. Emerging from the famed academy of Estudiantes de La Plata, he formed a formidable partnership with Juan Sebastián Verón, becoming a central figure in the club's resurgence. His game was not about finesse but force: a thunderous shot, a relentless nose for goal, and an almost uncanny ability to win headers despite not being exceptionally tall. After conquering Argentina, he took his talents to Mexico, where he became a folk hero at Cruz Azul and later Toluca, consistently finishing among the league's top scorers. Farías never quite became a regular for the Argentine national team in a crowded era, but his club legacy is indelible—a pure, old-school striker who scored goals in bunches and left defenders bruised and beaten.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ernesto was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ernesto Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Ernesto's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Argentine Primera División Apertura tournament with Estudiantes de La Plata in 2006.
- Was the top scorer in the Mexican Primera División Clausura tournament in 2008 while playing for Cruz Azul.
- Scored over 150 career goals in club football across Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil.
- Helped Cruz Azul win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup in 2009.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Tecla' means 'key' in Spanish, reportedly for his ability to be the key to unlocking defenses.
He began his professional career at Estudiantes, the same club where his father, Ernesto 'Puma' Farías, also played.
Farías scored a hat-trick in his debut for the Argentine national team in a friendly against Guatemala in 2005.
He played alongside Brazilian legend Ronaldinho during a brief stint at Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.
“My job is simple: be in the right place when the cross comes in.”
