Tribune wires
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexico star Cuauhtemoc Blanco will leave the Chicago Fire and return home to rejoin second-division Veracruz.
In a statement on his Web site, Blanco said Thursday he will start playing again for Veracruz in January.
"We respect his desire to continue playing in Mexico during the MLS offseason and continue preparing for the 2010 World Cup, which is a top priority for him," Fire technical director Frank Klopas said in a statement. "We will continue our dialogue with his agent regarding Blanco playing for the Fire in the second half of the 2010 season and beyond."
The 36-year-old forward last played for Veracruz in 2004.
"I had a great experience in the MLS, where they treated me very well, but at this stage of my career there were some clubs from the Mexican league that wanted me to come home," Blanco said on his Web site. "I will start a new stage in Veracruz, a place where I used to play and I promised to come back."
Klopas said Blanco "remains focused" on winning the MLS Cup this year and is still "a valuable member" of the team.
Fire's Cuauhtemoc Blanco signs autographs for his appearance on the cover of FIFA Soccer 10 video game. (Phil Velasquez / Tribune)
All Bears news delivered to your mailbox on Friday and Monday mornings. 
When sports news breaks, be the first to know. (To get alerts on a mobile device, text CHISPORTS to 31286.). 
Get our updates on 
This is exactly what I've been looking for all day. I should have found your post sooner.
I love your blog and will keep on reading
Hi. this is kind of an "unconventional" query, but have other visitors asked you how get the menu bar to look like you've got it? I also have a blog and am really wanting to alter around the theme, however am scared to death to mess with it for fear of the search engines punishing me. I am very new to all of this ...so i am just not positive exactly how to try and do it all yet. I'll just keep working on it one day at a time :-) Thanks for any help you can offer here.
Last year, I remember the top 2 selling video game consoles were the nintendo wii and ds. PS3 was fourth i think. PSP was fifth, or maybe it was the other way around. I wonder what it'll be like this season.
Hey Go Scrubs Go, 1 billion people watch Futbol- how many watch baseball? Or better yet. how many drunk yuppies from the northern suburbs follow your sorry team? Thought so.
Does anyone still watch soccer? Hello? Hey Trib focus on sports that fans really care about. Cubbies in 10!
let's replace him with HENRY!
I hope he doesn't slack for the Fire in the playoffs...otherwise, he's a turd.