What's a Tuzo, anyway? Meet Pachuca, the Liga MX team playing Austin FC on Saturday

Austin FC continues to utilize time off in the MLS schedule to play friendly matches against Liga MX teams.

After visits from Tigres and Atlas, Pachuca is up next. The game provides a competitive match during the international break for Verde and helps Los Tuzos kick into gear during the preseason.

So, what should Austin FC fans know about Pachuca, who are Pachuca's biggest stars and what the heck is a Tuzo, anyway? The Striker Texas answers your questions below.

Why are they called Tuzos?

Pachuca's "Tuzo" nickname translates to gopher or mole. That might not be the most intimidating mascot, but it connects deeply to Pachuca and the state of Hidalgo's history. The region has a long history of mining thanks to the mineral-rich hills surrounding Pachuca. The arrival of miners from Cornwall in the 19th century would change the course of sports history in North America, with the first-ever soccer matches on the continent taking place in Real del Monte, now a small village on the outskirts of Pachuca.

Those Cornish miners not only brought the sport to the area but also founded the team that would become CF Pachuca in 1901. The Mexican first-division formed a few years later with Pachuca as one of the charter members.

The "Tuzos" nickname pays homage to those miners who would burrow down in search of ore and then pop back up from those holes, finishing the long day with a kick-around.

What is the Pachuca soccer team known for?

This may stoke the rivalry flames ahead of the game with Austin FC, but Pachuca could be thought of as the FC Dallas of Liga MX. The club has invested heavily in its academy and, unlike many of its rivals, shown a willingness to sell players both abroad and to other teams within Mexico.

The biggest star Pachuca recently produced is Mexico national team winger Hirving Lozano, who went from Pachuca to PSV before moving on to Napoli. Lozano's running buddy Erick Gutierrez, a two-way midfielder, later joined him in the Netherlands.

Pachuca's player production goes back even further, though. A native of Baja California, future Houston Dynamo midfielder Hector Herrera spent his formative years in the Pachuca Academy and started his career with Tuzos before signing with Porto. Ex-Inter Miami and current Monterrey attacker Rodolfo Pizarro also debuted with the club after going through its academy setup. So too did World Cup veteran Paul Aguilar and back in the 1990s Mexico national team midfielder Octavio Valdez, a four-time Liga MX winner who briefly coached the team's successful women's club.

Who are the current stars to keep an eye on?

Pachuca now is in a time of transition, with long-time Vice President Andres Fassi moving his focus away from the club and Club León, with whom Pachuca shares ownership. Analysts expected some growing pains on the field as well, but the winter arrival of Uruguayan manager Guillermo Almada delivered surprisingly good results. 

Almada headed for the exits at previous club Santos Laguna and walked into a club he immediately was able to mold into his image. Pachuca topped the regular season table, tying for the lead in both most goals scored and fewest allowed on the way to 38 points from 17 matches. The success nearly led to seventh first-division championship but the team fell to Atlas in the final, 3-2 on aggregate.

They did it without too much star power, but there are still players to keep an eye on. Forward Nicolas Ibañez was the team's top scorer last season, netting nine goals in the Clausura and adding a stunning six more in the playoffs.

Many of his opportunities were set up by Victor Guzman, a Guadalajara native who developed in the Pachuca system. The talented two-way player was set to move to Chivas ahead of the 2020 Clausura but a positive drug test from the previous season, which the player maintains was false, cratered the move. Since then, he's been working to get back into the national team picture and is certainly on the radar after a Liga MX Best XI caliber tournament. Chivas reportedly were going to make another attempt to sign him this offseason but isn't ready to splash the cash it would take to do so.

At the back, veteran center back Gustavo Cabral has formed the bedrock of the defense. He joined Pachuca from La Liga, where he played with Celta de Vigo, partnering with Colombia international Oscar Murillo to make things difficult on rival strikers.

A trio of players who would be fun to watch are missing, with right back Kevin Alvarez and midfielders Érick Sánchez and Luis Chávez with Mexico on national team duty. Ecuador winger Romario Ibarra also is with his national team.

Still, the Liga MX runners-up boast more than enough talent to entertain at Q2 Stadium on Saturday and give the hosts a challenge that will help them stay in rhythm during the international break.