Cruz Azul

1927–1961: Early years and amateur success

Cruz Azul was founded in the late 1920s in Jasso, Hidalgo, where cement company Cooperativa La Cruz Azul fostered a connection with football. At the time, football in Mexico was not a professionalized or lucrative activity, and many athletes worked full-time jobs alongside their sporting pursuits. Carlos Garcés López, a footballer, athlete and dentist, employed by the cooperative, had previously played for América and was part of Mexico's national team in its first official matches in 1923, as well as in the 1928 Olympic squad. In 1925, the cooperative initially planned to form a baseball team, reflecting the sport's popularity in the area. However, Garcés López advocated for football to become the company's official sport. After sustained lobbying, the cooperative held a referendum on 22 March 1927, in which football was selected. A football pitch replaced the baseball diamond, and the team was formally established two months later on 22 May 1927, with Garcés López as its first manager. For the following years, Cruz Azul competed in regional tournaments, composed exclusively of company workers. In 1931, the cooperative faced financial difficulties during the Great Depression. Due to the loss of demand and production of cement and other construction materials, the company faced bankruptcy and was acquired by cement company La Tolteca on 1 March 1931, for 1 million pesos. However, the liquidation of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul…

Cruz Azul's first major title came in the 1968–69 season, when the club won the Mexican Primera División just five years after being promoted. During its golden era in the 1970s, Cruz Azul won six league titles within the decade, earning the nickname La Máquina for its dominant, machine-like style of play. The club added two more league titles in the short tournament era, in Invierno 1997 and Guardianes 2021, the latter ending a 23-year title drought. In domestic competition, Cruz Azul has also won the Copa MX four times and lifted the Campeón de Campeones trophy on four occasions. The club also won the Supercopa MX in 2019 and the Supercopa de la Liga MX in 2022. Internationally, Cruz Azul is one of Mexico's most successful clubs, having won the CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League (CONCACAF's premier club competition) seven times, the most successful club in the region shared with América. In 2001, the club became the first Mexican and CONCACAF team to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores, narrowly losing to Boca Juniors on penalties. Cruz Azul has also competed in the FIFA Club World Cup and the Copa Interamericana, and remains one of the most supported and historically significant football clubs in the Americas.

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Torneo Almería: 1979 Torneo Burgos: 1980 Cuadrangular Azteca: 1981 Triangular Los Ángeles: 1991 Cuadrangular Querétaro: 1992 Torneo Monterrey 400: 1996 Copa Pachuca:…