C.D. Veracruz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Veracruz

Full name	Club Deportivo Veracruz
Nickname(s)	Tiburones Rojos (Red Sharks) Los Escualos (The Sharks) El Tiburón (The Shark)
Short name	VER
Founded	April 9, 1943; 82 years ago (April 9, 1943)
Dissolved	December 18, 2019; 5 years ago (December 18, 2019)
Ground	Estadio Luis "Pirata" Fuente
Ground Capacity	28,703
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Club Deportivo Veracruz, often called Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz, was a professional football team from Veracruz, Mexico. The club was started in 1943. They played in Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico.

In December 2019, the Mexican Football Federation announced that Veracruz was removed from Liga MX. This happened because the club owed money to its players, youth teams, and the league itself.

History of the Red Sharks

The club was founded in April 1943. It was named Club Deportivo Veracruz. This happened when two local clubs, Iberia de Córdoba and Veracruz Sporting Club, joined together. They wanted to play in the Primera División de México. Before this, both clubs played in an amateur league in Veracruz. They had won many titles there.

The new club kept the red and black colors of Veracruz Sporting Club at first. Later, they changed black to white, keeping red as their main color. Their first games were played at Parque Deportivo Veracruzano. The club's nickname, Tiburones Rojos (Red Sharks), was given by Manuel Seyde. Veracruz was one of the first teams to play in the professional league. They were also the first club not from Mexico City to win the league championship.

The club holds a record for being relegated (moved down to a lower league) four times. One notable relegation was in 2008 by their rival, Puebla. After that, they played in the Liga de Ascenso de México, trying to get promoted back to the top league.

Veracruz played its first game in the 1943–44 Copa México tournament. They lost 5–1 to Atlante. Manuel Rodríguez Angues, known as Manolín, scored their first goal.

First Big Wins

In the 1945–46 league season, Veracruz had an amazing run. They played 18 games, winning 14 and drawing 4. This helped them win their first league title that year.

Two years later, in the 1947–48 season, they won their first Mexican Cup. They beat Chivas 3–1. Veracruz then won their second league title in the 1949–50 season. They had a huge victory against Monterrey, winning 14–0. This was one of the biggest wins in Mexican football history.

Famous Players and Relegation

Over the years, Veracruz had many famous players. These included René Higuita, Braulio Luna, Adolfo Ríos, Luis Hernández, and Cuauhtémoc Blanco.

In 2002, Veracruz returned to the Primera División de México. They had been declared champions of the Primera División 'A'. The Apertura 2004 season was one of their best. They finished in 1st place, thanks to new players like Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Christian Giménez.

On April 25, 2008, UNAM defeated Veracruz 4–2. This sent Veracruz down to the Primera División 'A' league. Their relegation was made official on May 2, 2008, after a 0–0 draw against Tecos de la U.A.G.. This was their fourth relegation.

Winning the 1945–46 Championship

The 1945–46 championship team.

In their third year, during the 1945–46 tournament, the club won 18 games. They had 14 wins and 4 draws, including 8 wins in a row. They scored 105 goals that year. Jorge Enrico from Argentina and Raimundo González were top scorers. Luis de la Fuente was considered their best player.

On June 2, 1946, Veracruz won the championship for the first time. They beat Real Club España 3–2 in Mexico City. Goals were scored by José Valdivia, Luis de la Fuente, and Raimundo González. This win ended a 26-year streak of Mexico City clubs winning the tournament.

Winning the 1947–48 Cup

In the 1947–48 Copa México tournament, Veracruz won its first Copa México. Even with some key players leaving, they managed to win. The final was against Guadalajara, and Veracruz won 3–1. This was the only cup the club won until 2016. They finished as runner-up three times in other cup tournaments.

Winning the 1949–50 Championship

In the 1949–50 tournament, the club won its second and last Primera División de México title. The team was refreshed with new players and led by Juan Luque de Serrallonga. This year is also remembered because Julio Ayllon, known as El Negro, became the club's first top goal scorer. He scored 30 goals.

End of a Golden Era

The 1950s marked the end of Veracruz's golden age. The 1950–51 season was their first losing year due to money problems. The worst season came in 1951–52. After a tough fight, they were relegated for the first time to the new Segunda División de México. They finished with only 12 points, just 3 behind América.

In the 1952–53 Segunda División de México tournament, they almost got promoted. They finished just one point behind Toluca. After this, most players left, and the club was temporarily disbanded.

Return in the 1960s and 1970s

In 1961, a group of supporters helped bring the club back. José Lajud Kuri became president, and the club rejoined the Segunda División de México for the 1961–62 season.

In 1964, Veracruz got a chance to be promoted. The league decided to add more teams. Veracruz finished second in the Segunda División. They played in a special playoff tournament and earned a spot back in the first division after 12 years.

Their first game back in the Primera División was on June 7, 1964. It was a 3–3 draw against Morelia. Jesús Mercado scored their first goal since returning. In the 1978–79 tournament, the club was relegated for the second time. They lost 22 games and finished last.

The 1980s and a New Beginning

Veracruz started the 1980s in the Segunda División de México. In 1984, the club was sold and moved to Mérida. It was renamed Venados de Yucatán. This team eventually stopped playing in 1998.

After several years without a team, a group of local businessmen and the governor of Veracruz bought a newly promoted club in 1989. This brought football back to Veracruz. The club played its first game that year, losing to Puebla.

This period was known as "La Tiburomania." Fans showed huge support, even traveling long distances. In the 1989–90 season, the club had 19 straight sold-out games. A record 50,000 Veracruz fans attended an away game against América at Estadio Azteca.

That same year, Veracruz played in a special tournament. They beat the famous Spanish club Real Madrid 4–2, with a goal from Omar Palma.

The 1990s: Ups and Downs

The 1990s started with a strong team and passionate fans. Players like Jorge Comas and Adolfo Ríos were fan favorites. In the 1991–92 season, the club reached the playoffs for the first time since its return. They won their knockout series against Correcaminos UAT but lost in the quarterfinals to Necaxa.

In 1993–94, the club celebrated its 50th anniversary. They signed former great players like Carlos Poblete. They also played a friendly match against Atlético Madrid.

In 1994–95, Veracruz almost won the Copa México title. They beat several teams but lost 2–0 to Necaxa in the final. In 1995, the club was sold to the TV network Televisa. This brought in better players and renewed hope for the fans.

However, the 1996–97 season was tough. Despite signing international players like José Mari Bakero from Barcelona and Colombian national team players, the club struggled. They finished last, facing relegation problems. In 1997–98, they brought in famous goalkeeper René Higuita. But with many inexperienced players, they were relegated for the third time in club history.

In 1999, the club was sold to the city of Veracruz and local business owners. The Invierno 1999 season was one of their worst. The team, made mostly of veteran and young players, failed to reach the playoffs. The decade ended with the club in a lower division.

The 2000s and Disaffiliation

In the 2000–01 season, Veracruz became a strong team in the Primera División 'A' de México. They reached the playoffs, which brought back local interest. The Primera División expanded, and Veracruz played a promotion match against Atlante. They drew 0–0 at home but lost 4–1 away, remaining in the lower division. The club was later sold and moved to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, becoming Jaguares de Chiapas.

2002 Promotion

In 2002, Veracruz was promoted to the Primera División de México. This happened after they won a playoff game against León.

2008 Relegation

In the Apertura 2007, the club was near the bottom of the league table. In the Primera División de México Clausura 2008, they had another bad year. They lost at home to Puebla 2–0, which sealed their relegation. Their relegation was confirmed after a 4–2 loss to UNAM. This was their fourth relegation, a new league record.

Veracruz played in the Liga de Ascenso de México from Apertura 2008 onwards. They came close to promotion many times but always fell short.

2011 Disaffiliation

On June 3, 2011, the FMF removed the Tiburones Rojos franchise. This was because the club failed to make payments to the FMF. The FMF stated that Veracruz did not meet its financial duties. After this, Veracruz and Albinegros de Orizaba decided to combine their teams due to the debts.

2013 Club Changes

In 2013, there were several club relocations. Club San Luis moved to Chiapas and became Chiapas Fútbol Club. Club La Piedad moved to Veracruz and became Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz. Meanwhile, the old C.D. Veracruz moved to San Luis Potosí and became Atlético San Luis.

2019 Final Disaffiliation

Veracruz had a very difficult period from September 2018 to October 2019, with a 41-game winless streak. There were many reports of players not getting paid. In one game against Tigres UANL, the players protested by not moving for the first 8 minutes, conceding 3 goals. There was also ongoing unhappiness with the owner, Fidel Kurri.

Because of these issues, the FMF officially removed Veracruz from the Liga MX after the Apertura 2019 season. All their players became free agents. The women's team was also removed from the Liga MX Femenil. All other parts of the club, including youth academies, were dissolved. As a result, Liga MX started the Clausura 2020 season with only 18 teams.

2020 Reestablishment Efforts

In 2020, a former reserve team, Atlético Veracruz, was reestablished. They planned to play in the Liga de Balompié Mexicano. On February 10, 2021, the club announced they were leaving the LBM. They wanted to join the FMF again, hoping to play in the Liga de Expansión MX. Later, they decided to try to join the Liga Premier de México.

On May 23, 2022, the Club Deportivo Veracruz Facebook page announced that all their debts had been paid. They also stated that the Mexican Football Federation had wrongly accused them of debt. They opened a lawsuit against the FMF, hoping to return to Liga MX if they win the case.

Rivalries

Veracruz had a long-standing rivalry with Puebla. This rivalry, known as "El Clásico Del Sur" (The Southern Derby), began in the amateur era in the 1930s.

In total, Puebla and Veracruz played 68 official matches. These included league and Copa México games. Puebla had a better record with 30 wins and 15 draws.

Past Sponsors

Honours and Achievements

National Titles

CD Veracruz honours

Type	Competition	Titles	Winning editions	Runners-up
Top division	Liga Mayor	2	1945–46, 1949–50	–
	Copa México/Copa MX	2	1947–48, Clausura 2016	1949–50, 1967–68, 1994–95
	Campeón de Campeones	0	–	1946, 1948, 1950
	Supercopa MX	0	–	2016
Promotion divisions	Primera División A/Liga de Ascenso	1	Invierno 2001	Apertura 2010
	Campeón de Ascenso	0	–	2002
	Segunda División	0	–	1952–53

Club Records

• Longest undefeated streak: 18 games (1945–46 season)
• Most games without a draw: 19 games (Invierno '99)
• Most games without a win: 40 games (Clausura 2019)
• Longest winning streak: 8 games (1945–46 and Apertura 2004)
• Longest draw streak: 5 games (1990–91)
• Longest losing streak: 9 games (Verano 2002)
• Longest scoring streak: 28 games (1946–47)
• Longest streak without a goal: 4 games (1970–71)
• Biggest win: 14–0 vs. Monterrey (May 26, 1946)
• Biggest loss: 9–2 vs. C.F. Pachuca (April 13, 2019) and 0–7 vs. Necaxa

Top Goal Scorers of All Time

These are the top 10 players who scored the most goals for the club.

Position	Player	Goals	Years
1	Mariano Ubiracy	98	1965–72
2	Luis "Pirata" de la Fuente	83	1943–52
3	Raymundo "Pelón" González	77	1986–96
4	Jorge Comas	77	1989–94
5	José Luis "Loco" Aussín	65	1964-1971
6	Jorge Enrico	54	1943–49
7	Ricardo Brandón	45	1976–78
8	Gustavo "El Grillo" Biscayzacú	43	2004–06
9	Jesús "Chucho" Hernández	39	????
10	Pedro Damián	36	????

Goal Scoring Champions

• Copa México 1943–44: José Miguel Díez (5 goals)
• Liga 1949–50: Julio Ayllón (30 goals)
• Liga 1989–90: Jorge Comas (26 goals)

Players

Reserve Teams

Albinegros de Orizaba

This was a reserve team that played in the Liga Premier. This is the third level of the Mexican league system.

Managers

See also

In Spanish: Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz para niños