Seven Mexicans Set for European Competition: Gimenez in the Champions League, Fidalgo Debuts With Betis

Seven. That's the number of Mexicans who will have the chance this season to hear the Champions League anthem or compete on Europa League and Conference League nights. The list includes familiar names and one surprise that snuck in almost unnoticed.

Let's start with the most high profile: Santiago Gimenez, who after joining Porto is registered with the number 29 jersey for the Champions League group stage. The forward returns to Europe's top competition after more than a year away, since AC Milan failed to qualify last season. His last memory in the tournament is no small thing: he scored against his former club, Feyenoord, in the round of 16, though that goal didn't keep Feyenoord from being eliminated. Now, wearing the Portuguese club's colors, he'll make his debut against none other than Manchester City, in a home match set for September 8.

The other big name is Alvaro Fidalgo, who will experience his first Champions League as a Betis player. There were rumors he might leave due to a lack of playing time at the start of the season, but Manuel Pellegrini chose to trust him and included him on the roster wearing number 15. The Sevilla based club will open its campaign on the road against Lille, just four days after facing Real Madrid in La Liga.

Vargas, With a New Number at Atletico

At Atletico Madrid, Obed Vargas has yet to log minutes in La Liga, but Diego Simeone still included him in the European squad. The midfielder swapped jersey number 21 for 3 this campaign and will look to make his first international debut with Atletico, after spending last season watching from the bench as the team advanced to the semifinals.

Not all the news is good: Stephano Carrillo, who returned to Feyenoord after a loan spell at Dordrecht, was left off the list despite gaining experience in both the Eredivisie and the Dutch second division.

Four Mexicans Split Between the Europa League and Conference League

Two Mexican forwards will feature in the Europa League: Armando Gonzalez, registered by Olympiacos, and Mateo Chavez, with AZ Alkmaar. They're joined by Rodrigo Huescas, registered by Copenhagen, who is close to returning to the field after a long recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The least expected name on this list is Anwar Hernandez, who never made his Liga MX debut and will now see European action with Inter Club d'Escaldes, of Andorra, in the Conference League. It's a different story from the rest, but one that still adds to Mexico's presence across the three most important continental club competitions in soccer.