# The best Mexican telenovelas of all time

The Mexican telenovelas with the best IMDb ratings, biggest audiences and most exports, according to El Siglo de Torreón, El Informador and fan rankings.

- 548 votes · 18 items
- Jan 8, 2026 · fernanda domínguez
- https://even.best/en/l/538/the-best-mexican-telenovelas-of-all-time

## Top 15

1. **Cuna de lobos** (68 · ▲70 ▼2) — 1986. Catalina Creel and her eye patch; Mexico's most-watched telenovela, averaging 53 rating points.
2. **The Rich Also Cry** (61 · ▲64 ▼3) — 1979. Verónica Castro as Mariana; exported to over a hundred countries and dubbed into 25 languages.
3. **Corazón salvaje** (43 · ▲45 ▼2) — 1993. Eduardo Palomo and Edith González in the best-remembered version of Caridad Bravo Adams' novel.
4. **De pura sangre** (41 · ▲44 ▼3) — 1985. Christian Bach and Humberto Zurita; rated 9 on IMDb, the highest on the list.
5. **El privilegio de amar** (30 · ▲32 ▼2) — 1998. Helena Rojo and Adela Noriega; a 34.8-point average rating.
6. **María la del barrio** (28 · ▲32 ▼4) — 1995. Thalía, in the telenovela that made her famous around the world.
7. **Mirada de mujer** (23 · ▲24 ▼1) — TV Azteca, 1997. Angélica Aragón as a mature woman who falls for a younger man; it broke the mould.
8. **Rosa salvaje** (20 · ▲23 ▼3) — 1987. Verónica Castro and Guillermo Capetillo.
9. **Simplemente María** (19 · ▲19 ▼0) — 1989. Victoria Ruffo as a seamstress who succeeds in Mexico City.
10. **Rebelde** (19 · ▲19 ▼0) — 2004. The students of Elite Way School and the birth of the band RBD.
11. **Marimar** (14 · ▲20 ▼6) — 1994. Thalía as a young woman from the coast; a phenomenon in the Philippines and elsewhere.
12. **Amor real** (13 · ▲16 ▼3) — 2003. Adela Noriega in 19th-century Mexico.
13. **La usurpadora** (10 · ▲16 ▼6) — 1998. Gabriela Spanic in the dual role of Paola and Paulina.
14. **Carrusel** (10 · ▲13 ▼3) — 1989. A teacher and her primary school pupils; it marked a whole generation.
15. **Pasión y poder** (7 · ▲26 ▼19) — 1988. Diana Bracho, Enrique Rocha and Claudia Islas; 8.9 on IMDb.
16. **Teresa** (6 · ▲8 ▼2) — Televisa soap opera (2010), remake of the 1959 one, starring Angelique Boyer.
17. **The most beautiful ugly** (5 · ▲7 ▼2) — Mexican adaptation of Ugly Betty (2006), with Angélica Vale and Jaime Camil.
18. **Quinceanera** (5 · ▲7 ▼2) — Youth soap opera from 1987 with Adela Noriega and Thalía, a pioneer in dealing with adolescent themes.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.