The character of 'El Chanfle' is inspired by a historic former Mexican soccer player.

The bond between Roberto Gómez Bolaños, known as 'Chespirito', and football was immortalized through his film “El Chanfle,” released in 1979, not only reflected his passion for the sport, but also marked a historic moment by reuniting the entire cast of El Chavo del 8 in a single film production for the last time.

Gómez Bolaños, renowned for his comedic genius, combined his love of art with a deep passion for soccer, a sport he practiced as a striker in his spare time. Before making it big on television, he also tried boxing as a way to make a living.

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The idea of creating a film about football had been in the mind of Roberto Gómez Bolaños's creative mind long before it came to fruition. Between scripts, characters and routines that emerged daily, the comedian shared his vision with director Enrique Segoviano, Inspired by a real-life character: Rogelio Cruz "El More", the Puebla club's kit man, known for his peculiar strategies during matches, such as stopping the game with buckets of water or throwing oranges onto the field.

From that figure emerged the concept of a multifaceted character within the team: clumsy but endearing, and always well-intentioned, This is how “El Chanfle” was born, a fictional figure who, unlike other Chespirito characters, took shape from real experiences and ordinary people, marking the beginning of a new stage in his creative career.

"El Chanfle" was born in a context of football disillusionment: after the failure of the Mexican National Team in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, and amid the rise of Club América, which consolidated itself as a benchmark for national football after the 1976 championship, with Carlos Reinoso's memorable rabona goal against the Leones Negros.

The iconic orange sweatshirt worn by the main character not only remained etched in the collective memory, but also became a symbol of Americanism, so much so that in 2019 the club released a commemorative jersey in those colors.

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