León Padró Borja, a prominent Mexican referee from the 1980s and 1990s, died at age 69 on the night of February 6. From Guanajuato, he officiated in Primera División for 13 years and in international tournaments with FIFA. The Mexican Football Federation offered condolences for his career as a referee and businessman.
León Francisco Padró Borja, from Guanajuato, was one of Mexico's most respected referees in the 1980s and 1990s. He debuted in Primera División on January 16, 1987, in the Necaxa vs. Morelia match, and officiated games with ethics and respect, earning recognition from the football community.
In the 1990s, he earned his FIFA badge, enabling him to participate in international tournaments, including four matches as central referee at the 1997 Under-20 World Cup in Malaysia. His career led to honors such as induction into the State Hall of Fame by the Guanajuato Sports Commission (CODE).
He retired at 42 after 13 years at the top level, with his final match on November 18, 2000, between Monterrey and Chivas at the Tecnológico Stadium in Nuevo León. In his farewell, he remarked: “It was the only thing they could criticize me for”.
Post-refereeing, Padró Borja ventured into business as production director at Desero, a metal framing company. He leveraged his Civil Engineering degree from the University of Guanajuato, securing contracts with the state government for projects at the New Legislative Palace.
News of his death emerged during Liga MX's Matchday 5. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) described him as a “former national and international referee with FIFA and businessman” and shared condolences. Referee Francisco Chacón paid tribute: “The best referee from the Guanajuato Delegation, excellent businessman and human being, a master on the field as off it, a man who dedicated his life to work. Rest in peace and fly high, dear León”. The cause of death remains unknown, per his family.
