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Gignac rejects offers from Europe to stay in Mexico

Xinhua, December 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

The French forward of Mexican team Tigres UANL, Andre-Pierre Gignac, rejected offers to play in Europe and preferred Mexico, where he became a champion on Sunday.

The final game of Mexico's 2015 Apertura Tournament was played on Sunday night in Mexico City between the Tigres UANL and Pumas UNAM. Tigres won the game on penalties to seal the title.

Gignac, 30, signed with Tigres in June 2015 and quickly became the top scorer of the 2015 Apertura Tournament with 15 goals, including a brace in the two-leg final.

The victory of Tigres ensured the French player became the most famous European player in Mexico's league.

Cited by local sports daily La Aficion, Gignac said that "some people thought I was moving away from everything, that I was going to be on vacation, but I am proving I came here to work."

In November, France's coach Didier Deschamps called him up to the national team after almost a year of absence.

The call-up "is proof that I am still in touch and that exile was not such a bad idea," said Gignac.

The northern city of Monterrey, where Tigres are based, has caught full-blown Gignac fever. His replica jerseys, and even French flags, have sold out. Endi