Chicharito's grandfather and Mexico idol Balcazar dead at 88

Mexican football legend Tomas Balcazar has passed away at the age of 88, the nation's FA confirmed on Sunday. 

Balcazar was the father in law to Javier 'Chicharo' Hernandez, a member of the 1986 Mexico World Cup team. 

Hernandez's son, former Manchester United forward and current LA Galaxy star Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez is also a legendary figure for El Tri, having represented his country at no less than three World Cups - the third generation of the Hernandez-Balcazar family to do so. 

And this weekend the family was thrown into mourning with the news that Balcazar had passed away in his native Guadalajara. 

"The Mexico national teams mourn the sad loss of Tomas Balcazar Gonzalez," the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) wrote on its official Twitter account. 

"Ex-player of the Mexico national team and a legend of Mexican football. We join his family and friends in their grief."

Liga MX giants Chivas, for whom the star played throughout his career, also used the social network to convey their tribute, writing  "Club Deportivo Guadalajara is in mourning, one of the biggest legends of Mexican football has left us. 

"Thanks for the championships, the enormous legacy you left in our history and above all for your human qualities."

Balcazar joined Chivas at the age of 17 and went on to play for the club for over a decade, making more than 300 appearances for the Guadalajara side. 

He formed part of the famed Campeonisimo team that would dominate Mexican football during the 1950s and 60s, lifting the national title in 1956-7. 

After retiring in 1958 he became Javier de la Torre's assistant coach at Chivas and oversaw that golden period, which would eventually yield seven Primera crowns and a total of 15 trophies over the space of a decade, later following the boss during a short stint at the head of the national team.

The forward also made his mark for the Tricolor, scoring against France in the 1954 World Cup to mark one of only two goals Mexico managed during that tournament. 

Fifty-six years later that achievement would be mirrored by his grandson, who opened the scoring in a 2-0 victory over Les Bleus in Group A of South Africa 2010.