[Oliver_Kahn]

The Bundesliga's first ever Mexican players, Pavel Pardo and Ricardo Osorio, joined VfB this summer. bundesliga.de looks at how they're doing.


Pavel Pardo is a playmaker for Stuttgart's midfield. And Ricardo Osorio a new man on defence.

First-ever Mexicans

Stuttgart's new signings not only made Bundesliga history as the first-ever Mexican players in the league, but they're both aiming to ensure all goes well in Stuttgart, too!

Pavel Pardo said "I'm happy to be the first Mexican, or better said one of the first. After all, Ricardo's here too. I'm extremely proud, and I hope we can make an impression."

And Osorio added "I'm glad to be one of the first to play in Germany. We're aiming to go all the way.”

Hitzlsperger impressed

30 year-old Pavel Pardo and 26 year-old Ricardo Osorio joined VfB Stuttgart after playing a good role at the World Cup.

And they've made a good impression with their new teammates as defender Thomas Hitzlsperger explains: "Ricardo Osorio's a right back. He is very quick, he's just a small player. What we probably think about Mexican players is that they're small and very quick. He's that type of player. He's always positive, going forward, and he always tries to take on a player, but defensively he's well organised."

Pardo with first-ever goal

"Pavel Pardo is the more experienced player, he has played many games for Mexico. And you can certainly see that experience. He is very calm on the ball, he gets the ball from the back four, and just plays it forward to the strikers. He does a really good job. He's the anchorman as you call it in front of the back four, and he does a great job for us there", the "Hammer" adds.

Pardo is the more eye-catching player. He's set up goals this season and netted the first Mexican goal in the Bundesliga, when he scored against Werder Bremen in a mid-September match.

Osorio sent off

It took a while for things to click for Osorio though. He was sent off in his second Bundesliga appearance, and handed a two-game suspension. But his positive spin on life helped him get back on track.

"I'm so happy that everything has worked out. But above anything else, I'm especially happy about fulfilling a dream. We've been given the chance to play in Europe and show everyone what we're capable of.”

Hitzlsperger adds: "They just came here and said: "we are here now, we want to do well” and they give their best everyday in training. They're not lazy and thinking, "maybe I'm in the wrong place”. They enjoy themselves and that's really important. They came here and give their best, they are trying to talk to the players. They're trying to be part of the team, and we make them feel welcome. They certainly experience that and they give us something back. It's just working really well.”

Better than fifth place?

Pardo and Osorio are both optimistic about Stuttgart's run of form and Pardo thinks "we can finish in the top five in the Bundesliga. That's Stuttgart's objective. But as a player, you naturally want to go a bit further than that.”

There doesn't seem to be much doubt Stuttgart will achieve the club's objective and with their "Mexican connection” surging of late, maybe the team will have a lot more to celebrate than a fifth place finish when the season's over.