Cruz Azul

Cruz Azul was founded in the late 1920s in Jasso, Hidalgo, where cement company Cooperativa La Cruz Azul, S.C.L. 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 decades, Cruz Azul competed in regional tournaments, composed exclusively of company workers. The club achieved notable success in amateur competitions during the 1930s and 1940s.

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 was anticipated by 192 workers of the company who unionized and sued the executives of the company to prevent the transfer of the property which was set for 15 October 1931. The government of Hidalgo ruled in favor of the workers after it was shown La Tolteca had premeditated intentions of liquidation. The workers assumed control of the industrial facilities on 2 November. On 21 May 1932, the governor of Hidalgo, Bartolomé Vargas Lugo, decreed the 192 workers of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul as collective owners of the plant, exercising eminent domain. Part of the agreement, all 192 workers who assumed responsibility of the plant agreed to pay the state of Hidalgo 1.3 million pesos over the course of 10 years. The company changed its name to Cooperativa Manufacturera de Cemento Portland La Cruz Azul, S.C.L., reestablishing itself as a cooperative on 29 January 1934. The debt was settled on 2 November 1941, 10 years after workers took ownership of the plant. In celebration, Cruz Azul organized a match against Real España, that ended in a 0–0 draw. This scenario of the club's formation encourages its working-class facade.

Between 1932 to 1943, Cruz Azul won 15 consecutive league titles in a local amateur league in the state of Hidalgo and on eight different occasions, the club represented the state of Hidalgo in national amateur tournaments. From the mid-1930s to the late 1940s, the club regularly traveled to Mexico City to face the reserve teams of Atlante, Necaxa, Marte, and Real España, playing at Parque Necaxa to great success. By 1937, Cruz Azul had garnered a considerable following both in Hidalgo and Mexico City. During this period, Guillermo Álvarez Macías began playing as a midfielder for the team.

On 10 December 1953, Álvarez Macías, who had been employed by the cooperative since childhood, was appointed general manager of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul. Initially employed as an automotive mechanic, Álvarez Macías spent over two decades at the company, rising through the ranks. A self-proclaimed socialist, Álvarez Macías laid plans to transform the cooperative into a functioning town, in hope to modernize and "share social and economic progress, to raise the standard of living of the worker and his family." In his goal to promote social well-being among members of the cooperative, Álvarez Macías invested into cultural and recreational activities. This included investing much more into the football club whose proceeds were used to provide the worker-players with better living conditions.

In 1958, club captain and machinist Luis Velázquez Hernández, served as the club's ambassador to the Mexican Football Federation to lobby for official membership on the club's behalf. Velázquez Hernández met Paulino Sánchez in Mexico City, who had ties to prominent football executives. They met with Joaquín Soria Terrazas and Ignacio Trelles to discuss membership in the federation for the club. Sánchez vouched in favor of Cruz Azul, citing their continual success in the amateur and reserve tournaments. Much to the displeasure of Álvarez Macías who asserted the club was not ready for professional football.

In preparation for federation membership, Paulino Sánchez assumed the position as head manager of the club. Due to regulations, teams were required to have a reserve team. Lafayette, a club experiencing financial troubles located in Colonia Moctezuma, was purchased by Cruz Azul to serve as its reserve side and the acquisition was completed in 1960. Plans to construct a club stadium that complied to the standards set by the Mexican Football Federation were conceived in 1960, and with construction beginning in 1961, Estadio 10 de Diciembre was completed in 1963.

Despite not possessing federation membership, the club was invited to compete in the 1960–61 edition of the Copa de la Segunda División de México, a competition sanctioned by the Mexican Football Federation. The club's debut game was played on 2 April 1961, in Jasso against Zamora, and ended in a 2–1 victory. The second-leg, played on 9 April, resulted in a 3–3 draw. After advancing past Querétaro, winning the tie 1–0 on aggregate and being eliminated by Pumas UNAM, the team's performance prompted the Mexican Football Federation to grant Cruz Azul official registration as a professional club.

Cruz Azul was officially registered to compete in Mexico's second-tier professional league for the 1961–62 season. In the early 1960s, due to regulations by the Mexican Football Federation prohibiting the use of company names in club titles, Álvarez Macías requested the renaming of the town of Jasso, Hidalgo, to Ciudad Cooperativa Cruz Azul. This allowed the club to retain the name "Cruz Azul" without directly referencing a commercial brand, as it now referred to a geographic location.

In 1961, Hungarian coach Jorge Marik, who had previously managed Atlas and Atlante, was appointed as head coach. Under his management, Cruz Azul earned direct promotion to the Primera División by finishing first in the 1963–64 Segunda División season, recording 19 wins, 7 draws, and 4 losses for a total of 45 points.

Following promotion, Estadio 10 de Diciembre underwent renovations on 6 March 1964, rebuilding the wooden stands and dressing rooms in compliance with top-flight regulations. Cruz Azul debuted in the Mexican Primera División during the 1964–65 season and finished in 8th place, with a record of 10 wins, 9 draws, and 11 losses. After a less successful campaign in the 1965–66 season, where the team finished 13th out of 16 clubs, Marik departed. Walter Ormeño served briefly as interim coach, managing three games before the club appointed Raúl Cárdenas as head coach on 20 October 1966.

During the 1968–69 season, under the direction of Cárdenas, Cruz Azul won its first Copa México title, first Primera División championship, and first CONCACAF Champions' Cup. This achievement made the club the first team in both Mexico and the CONCACAF region to win all three major titles—commonly referred to as a continental treble—within five years of joining the top division.

In the 1969–70 Primera División season, Cruz Azul finished second on the general standings. Later that year, on 15 December, the club was awarded the 1970 CONCACAF Champions' Cup after Saprissa and Transvaal withdrew from the tournament's second phase due to financial constraints.

Between 1970 and 1980, Cruz Azul established an era of dominance by winning six league titles—four under Cárdenas and two under Ignacio Trelles—becoming one of the most successful Mexican clubs of the decade. Led by legendary goalkeeper Miguel Marín, who made his final appearance for the club in a testimonial match against Guadalajara in June 1981, the team earned the nickname La Máquina ("The Machine") in reference to its consistent performances and playing style.

On 18 December 1976, long-serving club president Guillermo Álvarez Macías died of a heart attack at the age of 56 while awaiting a meeting with President José López Portillo.

Throughout the 1980s, Cruz Azul consistently qualified for the league playoffs but did not win another league championship, beginning a 17-year title drought despite continued investment and a strong squad. In 1988, Guillermo Héctor Álvarez Cuevas, the son of the late Guillermo Álvarez Macías, became general manager of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul and president of the club. Under his leadership, Cruz Azul pursued high-profile signings, including striker Carlos Hermosillo, who had come through América’s youth system and played for the senior team earlier in his career before joining Cruz Azul in 1991. Initially met with skepticism, Hermosillo became a leading figure in the team, finishing as the league's top scorer in three consecutive seasons: 1993–94 (27 goals), 1994–95 (35 goals), and 1995–96 (26 goals). In the 1994–95 season, the club finished third in the league's overall standings and reached their first league final in six years, where they were defeated 3–1 on aggregate by Necaxa.

On 20 July 1996, Cruz Azul ended a 16-year title drought by winning the 1996 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, held in Guatemala City. Under manager Víctor Manuel Vucetich, the team finished first in the round-robin tournament, including an 11–0 victory over Seattle Sounders. That same season, Cruz Azul also won the 1996–97 Copa México, defeating Toros Neza 2–0 at Estadio 10 de Diciembre.

In 1997, now managed by Luis Fernando Tena, the club won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup for a second consecutive year, defeating LA Galaxy in the final on 24 August. On 7 December 1997, Cruz Azul claimed the Invierno 1997 league title, defeating León in the final through a golden goal, ending a 17-year league title drought and securing the club's second continental treble. The decisive moment came during extra time in the second-leg, when León goalkeeper Ángel Comizzo fouled striker Carlos Hermosillo inside the penalty area in the 15th minute. Referee Arturo Brizio awarded a penalty kick to Cruz Azul, though Comizzo remained on the field. Hermosillo, visibly injured from the incident, converted the penalty, securing the title for Cruz Azul under the golden goal rule.

In 2001, Cruz Azul qualified for the Copa Libertadores through the Copa Pre-Libertadores, a playoff tournament involving Mexican and Venezuelan clubs. Placed in Group 7 alongside São Caetano, Defensor Sporting, and Olmedo, finishing top of the group with 13 points.

In the round of 16, Cruz Azul overcame a 2–1 first-leg loss to Cerro Porteño with a 3–1 victory at home, advancing on aggregate. The quarter-finals saw the club face River Plate, securing a 0–0 draw in Buenos Aires and winning 3–0 in Mexico City. In the semi-finals against Rosario Central, Cruz Azul won the first-leg 2–0 at home and drew 3–3 in Rosario to progress to the final.

The final was played against Boca Juniors. After a 1–0 defeat in the first-leg at Estadio Azteca, Cruz Azul won the return leg 1–0 at La Bombonera, with Francisco Palencia scoring the goal that leveled the aggregate score. The title was decided by a penalty shootout, which Boca Juniors won. Despite the loss, Cruz Azul became the first Mexican club to reach a Copa Libertadores final, a performance that received widespread recognition in both Mexico and South America.

On 16 July 2005, Cruz Azul manager Rubén Omar Romano was abducted by five men after leaving a pre-season training session. The assailants used two stolen vehicles to block his car, and a ransom note was later delivered to his family demanding $500,000. During Romano's absence, assistant coach Isaac Mizrahi assumed coaching responsibilities.

After 65 days in captivity, Romano was located and safely rescued during a federal raid on a residence where he was being held. Authorities arrested seven individuals connected to the abduction, reportedly acting under the orders of convicted kidnapper José Luis Canchola.

While Romano was still in captivity, Cruz Azul chose not to renew his contract beyond the Apertura 2005 tournament and formally offered the head coaching position to Mizrahi. Romano later expressed disappointment over the club's decision and stated that the incident affected his personal relationship with Mizrahi.

Between 2008 and 2013, Cruz Azul was regularly considered a title contender due to its financial resources and competitive squads. However, during this period, the club reached multiple domestic and international finals without securing a major title. Several of these losses involved late equalizers or narrow margins, leading to media and fan narratives about the club's inability to close matches. The term cruzazulear—meaning to lose a match despite having a clear advantage—gained traction around 2013 and was formally recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy in 2020.

In the Clausura 2008 tournament, Cruz Azul finished second in the regular season and advanced to the final, where they lost 3–2 on aggregate to Santos Laguna. The following tournament, Apertura 2008, saw the club reach another final after defeating Pumas UNAM and Atlante in the playoffs. In the final against Toluca, Cruz Azul lost the first-leg 2–0 but leveled the aggregate with a 2–0 win in the return leg. The match went to penalties, with Toluca winning the shootout 7–6.

Cruz Azul's participation in the 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League ended in the final, where they lost 2–0 on aggregate to Atlante. En route to the final, they had eliminated Pumas UNAM and Puerto Rico Islanders.

In the Clausura 2009 tournament, the club finished last in the league, recording only 13 points in 17 matches. Manager Benjamín Galindo was dismissed near the end of the season and was replaced by Robert Dante Siboldi on an interim basis.

For the Apertura 2009, Cruz Azul appointed Enrique Meza as head coach and reinforced the squad with key signings, including goalkeeper José de Jesús Corona and striker Emanuel Villa. The team finished second in the regular season and reached the final after playoff wins over Puebla and Morelia. Despite Villa finishing as the league's top scorer with 17 goals, Cruz Azul lost the final to Monterrey 6–4 on aggregate, marking their third league final defeat in less than two years.

In the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League, Cruz Azul finished first in Group C and advanced to the knockout stage. The team defeated Árabe Unido 4–0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and overcame Pumas UNAM in the semi-finals, losing the first-leg 1–0 but winning the return leg 5–1 at Estadio Azul. In the final against Pachuca, Cruz Azul won the first-leg 2–1 at home but lost the second-leg 1–0, conceding a goal in stoppage time. With the aggregate tied 2–2, Pachuca was awarded the championship based on the away goals rule, denying Cruz Azul a place in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup.

In April 2012, the club officially changed its name from Club Deportivo, Social y Cultural Cruz Azul, A.C. to Cruz Azul Fútbol Club, A.C..

During the Clausura 2013, Cruz Azul initially struggled in league play but gained momentum after defeating América in the Copa MX semi-finals and later winning the tournament by defeating Atlante in the final. Following their cup victory, the club's league form improved, and they qualified for the playoffs as one of the title contenders. In the final of the Clausura 2013 tournament, Cruz Azul again faced América in a notable edition of the Clásico Joven. After winning the first-leg and leading 2–0 on aggregate late into the second-leg, América equalized with goals in the 89th minute by Aquivaldo Mosquera and in the 93rd minute by goalkeeper Moisés Muñoz. América went on to win the championship 4–2 in a penalty shootout.

On 23 April 2014, Cruz Azul won its sixth CONCACAF Champions League title after defeating Toluca, securing the club's first trophy in 17 years. The victory qualified Cruz Azul for the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, where the team finished in fourth place.

Between the Apertura 2014 and Clausura 2017 tournaments, Cruz Azul failed to qualify for the liguilla playoffs for six consecutive seasons. The club returned to the playoffs in the Apertura 2017 but was eliminated in the quarter-finals by América on aggregate after a 0–0 draw, with América advancing due to higher seeding. On 27 November 2017, the club announced that manager Paco Jémez would not renew his contract for the following season.

In the Clausura 2018, Cruz Azul finished in 12th place and did not qualify for the playoffs. The club also placed last in its Copa MX group. On 7 May 2018, sporting director Eduardo de la Torre left the club and was replaced by Ricardo Peláez, formerly of América. Later that year, Cruz Azul won the Apertura 2018 Copa MX, defeating Monterrey 2–0 in the final. In the same tournament, the club reached the Liga MX final once again, facing América in a rematch of the Clausura 2013 final. The first-leg ended 0–0, and América won the second-leg 2–0, extending Cruz Azul's league title drought.

In May 2020, club president Guillermo Álvarez Cuevas was indicted on multiple charges, including tax fraud, racketeering, and money laundering. An arrest warrant was issued on 26 July for Álvarez and other board members for alleged ties to organized crime. He resigned from his position in August 2020 after more than three decades as club president. Álvarez remained a fugitive for over four years before being arrested in Mexico City on 16 January 2025 and transferred to the Penal del Altiplano federal prison.

On 6 December 2020, Cruz Azul played Pumas UNAM in the Guardianes 2020 semi-finals. Despite winning the first-leg 4–0, Cruz Azul lost the second-leg by the same scoreline. With the aggregate score level at 4–4, Pumas UNAM advanced to the final due to their higher placement in the regular season standings, in accordance by the competition's tiebreaker rules.

Following the Guardianes 2020 tournament, Cruz Azul appointed Juan Reynoso as head coach in preparation for the Guardianes 2021 tournament. Reynoso, a former player, had been part of the club's most recent league title in the Invierno 1997 tournament. Álvaro Dávila also joined as executive president. After two opening defeats, Cruz Azul won 12 consecutive matches, tying the Liga MX record set by León in the Clausura 2019. The streak ended with a 1–1 draw against América, and Cruz Azul finished the regular season as league leaders with 41 points from 17 matches. In the playoffs, Cruz Azul eliminated Toluca and Pachuca to reach the final, where they faced Santos Laguna. After a 1–0 win in the first leg and a 1–1 draw in the return leg on 30 May 2021, Cruz Azul secured a 2–1 aggregate victory to win their ninth league title, ending a 23-year championship drought. The club followed that success by defeating León 2–1 in the Campeón de Campeones match on 18 July 2021. Despite this, Cruz Azul struggled in the following tournaments. After elimination in the Clausura 2022 quarter-finals, Reynoso was dismissed on 18 May 2022.

On 30 May 2022, Diego Aguirre was named head coach. He led the club to a win in the 2022 Supercopa de la Liga MX, defeating Atlas on penalties after a 2–2 draw. However, Aguirre was dismissed on 21 August after a 7–0 loss to América, one of the club's worst defeats. Raúl Gutiérrez succeeded him but was let go on 13 February 2023 after a poor run of results. Ricardo Ferretti was then appointed on 22 February, but was also dismissed on 7 August. Joaquín Moreno was named interim and later confirmed as head coach for the remainder of the Apertura 2023 tournament. After a 16th-place finish, Moreno stepped down in 19 December and was appointed director of the club's reserves and academy system.

On 20 December 2023, Cruz Azul appointed Martín Anselmi as head coach. Ahead of the Clausura 2024, the club signed several players including Kevin Mier, Gabriel Fernández, Lorenzo Faravelli and Gonzalo Piovi. After an opening loss, Cruz Azul went on to finish second in the regular season with 33 points. The club eliminated Pumas UNAM and Monterrey to reach the final against América—the sixth final between the two clubs, making it the most contested final in Liga MX history. América won the title 2–1 on aggregate following a penalty awarded in the second-leg.

In the Apertura 2024, Cruz Azul began with a six-match unbeaten streak and entered the final matchday needing just a draw to set a new Liga MX short-tournament points record. A late equalizer by Ángel Sepúlveda against Tigres UANL gave Cruz Azul a 1–1 draw and secured a record 42 points. Cruz Azul defeated Tijuana in the quarter-finals after overturning a 3–0 first-leg deficit with a 3–0 home win. In the semi-finals, the club faced América. After a 0–0 draw in the first-leg, Cruz Azul equalized late in the second-leg, but América advanced with a stoppage-time penalty, winning 4–3 on aggregate.

Ahead of the Clausura 2025, Cruz Azul announced that its home matches would be played at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. On 24 January 2025, Anselmi departed for Portuguese club Porto without prior notice to the club, leading to controversy and the threat of legal action over alleged breach of contract. Vicente Sánchez was appointed interim manager the next day, and was ratified as permanent head coach on 23 February. The club went on to win a record-equalling seventh CONCACAF Champions Cup title in his first four months in charge, with the club defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 5–0 in the final, a victory that also secured their qualification for the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. On 6 June 2025, Cruz Azul announced Sánchez's departure by mutual agreement, with media reports indicating that the club's decision was based on an assessment that his project lacked long-term viability.

On 16 June 2025, Cruz Azul announced Nicolás Larcamón as their new head coach, signing a two-year contract with an option for one more.