Cruz Azul facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cruz Azul

Full name	Club de Futbol Cruz Azul
Nickname(s)	La Máquina (The Machine) Los Celestes (The Sky-Blues) Los Cementeros (The Cement Makers) Las Liebres (The Hares) Los de La Noria (The Men from La Noria)
Short name	CAZ
Founded	22 May 1927; 98 years ago (1927-05-22)
Ground	Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes
Ground Capacity	34,253
Owner	Cooperativa La Cruz Azul, S.C.L.
President	Víctor Velázquez
Manager	Martín Anselmi
League	Liga MX
Clausura 2024	Regular phase: 2nd Final phase: Runners-up
Home colours Away colours

Club de Futbol Cruz Azul, often called Cruz Azul, is a professional football club from Mexico City, Mexico. They play in the Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico. The club was started in 1927 in a town called Jasso, Hidalgo. Later, in 1971, they officially moved to Mexico City, where they already had many fans.

Cruz Azul has won the Primera División championship nine times. This makes them one of the most successful clubs in Mexico. They have also won the CONCACAF Champions Cup six times, which is a big international competition for North American teams. In 2001, Cruz Azul made history by being the first team from CONCACAF to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores, a major competition for South American clubs. They almost won, losing in a penalty shootout. In the 1968–69 season, Cruz Azul became the first team in CONCACAF to win a "continental treble," meaning they won their league, a national cup, and the CONCACAF Champions' Cup all in one season!

Many people in Mexico love Cruz Azul. They are the third most popular team in the country and the second most popular in Mexico City.

History

How Cruz Azul Started

A long time ago, a football player named Carlos Garces López also worked as a dentist at a cement company called Cemento Cruz Azul in Jasso, Hidalgo. In 1925, the company wanted to start a baseball team, but Carlos convinced them to choose football instead. On May 22, 1927, the football team was officially created, and Carlos became their first coach.

Early Years as an Amateur Team (1927–1960)

At first, Cemento Cruz Azul played in local tournaments against other company teams. For about 30 years, only workers from the company could play on the team. They were very good, winning 15 state league titles in a row during the 1930s and 1940s.

The cement company faced tough times in the 1930s. To save it, the workers took control and turned it into a "cooperative" in 1934. This meant the workers owned and ran the company together. This is why the club is known for its working-class roots.

Later, in 1953, Guillermo Álvarez Macías became the general manager of the company. He wanted to make life better for the workers and their families. He invested a lot in the football club, using its success to help the worker-players.

In 1958, the team decided to try and join the professional football league. They bought another team to help them meet the rules, and they started building their own stadium, Estadio 10 de Diciembre, which was finished in 1963.

Becoming a Professional Team (1961–1968)

Cruz Azul officially joined Mexico's second professional league in the 1961-62 season. They changed their name to "Cooperativa Cruz Azul" because professional teams couldn't use company names.

Moving Up to the Top League (1964)

In 1961, a Hungarian coach named Jorge Marik joined the team. He led Cruz Azul to win the second division in the 1963–64 season, which meant they were promoted to the top league, the Primera División! Their stadium was also improved to meet the new league's standards.

Cruz Azul finished their first season in the top league in 8th place. After a few more seasons, Raúl Cárdenas became their coach in 1966.

Dominating the Top League (1969–1980)

First Championship and Treble (1968–69)

Under coach Cárdenas, Cruz Azul had an amazing 1968–69 season. They won their first Copa México, their first Primera División title, and their first CONCACAF Champions' Cup. This was only four years after joining the top league! They were the first club in Mexico and the CONCACAF region to win all three titles in one season, which is called a "treble."

The "Blue Machine" Era (1970–1980)

Cruz Azul continued to be incredibly strong in the 1970s. They won six league championships during this decade, earning them the famous nickname La Máquina Celeste (The Blue Machine). This nickname is still used today.

First Tough Period (1981–1997)

Even though Cruz Azul was still a good team in the 1980s, they couldn't win any more league titles for a long time. This period without a championship lasted 17 years.

In 1988, Guillermo Héctor Álvarez Cuevas, the son of the earlier general manager, became the president of Cruz Azul.

New Players and Finals (1990–1995)

In the 1991–92 season, Cruz Azul signed Carlos Hermosillo, a very famous player. He quickly became a star, scoring the most goals in the league for three years in a row. In the 1994-95 season, the team reached the league final but lost.

Ending the Drought and Second Treble (1996–1997)

On July 20, 1996, Cruz Azul finally ended their 16-year championship drought! They won the 1996 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. They also won the 1996–97 Copa México that season.

Cruz Azul before facing León in the second leg of the Invierno 1997 final, December 7, 1997.

Then, on December 7, 1997, Cruz Azul won their eighth league title in a dramatic final against León. The game went into extra time, and Cruz Azul scored a "golden goal" from a penalty kick, winning the championship. This win also meant they achieved their second "continental treble."

Another Tough Period (1998–2013)

Copa Libertadores 2001

In 2001, Cruz Azul was invited to play in the Copa Libertadores, a big tournament for the best teams in South America. Cruz Azul surprised everyone by reaching the final! They played against a famous Argentine team, Boca Juniors. Cruz Azul won the second game at Boca's stadium, which was a huge achievement, as no team had done that before in a final. However, Boca Juniors won the championship in a penalty shootout. Still, Cruz Azul's journey to the final was amazing.

Many Second-Place Finishes (2008–2013)

During this time, Cruz Azul often played very well and reached many finals in both the league and other tournaments. However, they often lost these finals, sometimes in the last few minutes of the game. This led to a saying in Mexico, "cruzazulear," which means to lose a game when you were almost sure to win. It became so common that the Royal Spanish Academy officially recognized the term in 2020!

For example, in the Clausura 2008 and Apertura 2008 seasons, they reached the league finals but lost both times. They also reached the final of the 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League but lost again.

The Cruz Azul team before the game against Atlante on 28 February 2009.

In 2013, Cruz Azul won the Clausura 2013 Copa MX, which was a national cup. But in the league final that same year, they faced their rivals, Club América. Cruz Azul was winning 2–0, but América scored two goals in the last minutes, and then won in a penalty shootout. It was a very tough loss for Cruz Azul fans.

Ending the Second Drought (2014–2019)

On April 23, 2014, Cruz Azul finally won their sixth CONCACAF championship, which was a record at the time! This was their first major trophy in 17 years. This win also allowed them to play in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup.

After this, the team struggled for a few years and didn't make it to the playoffs. In 2018, they won the Apertura 2018 Copa MX Final, another national cup. They also reached the league final again in the Apertura 2018 season, playing against América once more. They lost 2–0, extending their league championship drought.

Ending the Big Drought (2021)

On May 30, 2021, Cruz Azul finally ended their 23-year wait for a league championship! They beat Santos Laguna 2–1 in the final at Estadio Azteca, winning their ninth league title. This was a huge moment for the club and its fans.

The Martín Anselmi Era (2024)

In December 2023, Martín Anselmi became the new manager of Cruz Azul. He brought in several new players. His first game was a loss, but he quickly turned things around. Anselmi led Cruz Azul to finish 2nd in the league during the Clausura 2024 tournament, earning them a spot in the playoffs. They made it all the way to the final, but lost to América 2–1.

Apertura 2024

In the Apertura 2024 season, Cruz Azul had a fantastic start, winning 6 out of their first 7 games. They had a chance to break the league record for most points in a short season. In their last game, they were tied, but in the final minutes, their captain Nacho Rivero helped set up a goal, securing a draw and breaking the league record with 42 points!

Crest and Colors

Crests

• 

  1927–1964

• 

  1964–1971

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  1971–1972

• 

  1972–1973

• 

  1973–1974

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  1974–1979

• 

  1979–1980

• 

  1980–1997

• 

  1997–2021

• 

  2021–2022

• 

  2022–present

Cruz Azul fans display a tifo of the club's emblem during a match.

The Cruz Azul club crest has changed over the years, but it always features a blue cross. This cross is inside a white circle and a red square. It represents the club's history and its connection to the cement company, showing ideas like teamwork and strength. The cross itself is inspired by British culture.

When the club became more famous, they added stars above the cross to show their league titles. Each star represents a championship win. In 1997, the crest became circular and added the word "Mexico" to show their national pride. In 2021, they added a ninth star to celebrate their latest league title. The current crest still has the iconic blue cross but removed the stars, focusing on the club's name and its history.

Colors

Cruz Azul shirts from the 90s and 2000s.

Cruz Azul's colors are red, white, and blue. These colors honor the British background of the cement company where the club started. The blue cross means strength, and the red and white show the club's history. These colors are also linked to the idea of the Santa Cruz (Holy Cross), connecting to the cooperative's goals and identity.

Kit Suppliers and Shirt Sponsors

Nicknames

The hare is the animal that is used to represent the team.

Cruz Azul has several cool nicknames:

• Cementeros (cement workers): This name comes from the club's start at the Cruz Azul Cement company. It honors the workers who formed the team.
• Liebres (hares): When the team first joined the top league, they played very fast and strong. Fans compared them to hares, which are quick animals found in the area. A hare is often used as the team's mascot.
• La Máquina (The Machine or The Locomotive): This nickname has a few meanings. It refers to the train that used to carry cement from the factory to Mexico City. It also describes how the team dominated their opponents in the 1970s, like a powerful machine rolling over everything. You might also hear variations like La Máquina Celeste (The Sky-blue Machine).

Stadium

Inside view of Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, the current home of Cruz Azul.

Cruz Azul has played in a few different stadiums. They started at Estadio 10 de Diciembre in Jasso, Hidalgo, from 1964 to 1971, where they won their first league titles.

In 1971, they moved to the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which is one of the biggest stadiums in the world. They won many championships there. They then moved to the Estadio Azul in 1996 and played there until 2018. After that, they returned to the Azteca, where they won their ninth league title in 2021.

Recently, in 2024, Cruz Azul temporarily moved back to the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes (which used to be called Estadio Azul) because the Estadio Azteca is being renovated for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The team's training facilities are called Instalaciones La Noria and are located in Xochimilco. The club has plans to build a new stadium in the future.

Support

Cruz Azul supporters at Estadio Azul against Libertad in 2012.

Cruz Azul has a huge fan base in Mexico. A survey in 2021 showed they have about 14 million supporters, making them the third most popular team in the country. In the beginning, most fans were cement workers, but as the team became successful, especially in the 1970s, more and more people started supporting them.

For a long time, from 1997 to 2021, Cruz Azul didn't win a league title. This led to something fans called the "Cruz Azul curse." It meant that no matter how good the team was, they often couldn't win the final championship. This "curse" was broken when they won the Guardianes 2021 final in May 2021! The term "cruzazulear" even became famous in Mexico, meaning to lose a game when you were almost sure to win.

Cruz Azul has a passionate fan group called La Sangre Azul. They are known for their strong support, loud chants, and colorful displays at games, helping to create an exciting atmosphere for all fans.

Rivalries

Cruz Azul's biggest rival is Club América. Their games are known as the "Young Classic" (Clásico Joven). This rivalry is special because some people see Club América as representing richer people, while Cruz Azul is often seen as the team for the working class, especially because of its connection to the cement company.

Personnel

Management

Position	Staff
President	Víctor Velázquez
Administrative Director	Antonio Reynoso
Director of football	Iván Alonso
Coordinator of football	Mathías Cardaccio
Director of sports science	Andrés Payssé
Director of academy	Joaquín Moreno

Source: Cruz Azul

Coaching Staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Martín Anselmi
Assistant managers	Facundo Oreja
	Luis Pastur
Goalkeeper coach	Esteban Herrera
Fitness coaches	Diego Bottaioli
	Fernando Ramos
	Alberto Sciegata
Physiotherapists	Paolo Arriaga
	José Morales
Team doctors	Antonio Acevedo
	Juan Pérez

Source: Liga MX

Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Andrés Gudiño 2 DF Jorge Sánchez 4 DF Willer Ditta 6 MF Érik Lira 8 MF Lorenzo Faravelli 9 FW Ángel Sepúlveda 10 MF Andrés Montaño 11 FW Giorgos Giakoumakis 12 GK Luis Jiménez 13 DF Camilo Cándido 14 MF Alexis Gutiérrez 15 MF Ignacio Rivero (captain) 17 MF Amaury García

No. Position Player 19 MF Carlos Rodríguez (vice-captain) 21 FW Gabriel Fernández 22 DF Raymundo Rubio 23 GK Kevin Mier 26 DF Carlos Vargas 27 MF Luis Romo 29 MF Carlos Rotondi 31 DF Luis Iturbide 32 MF Cristian Jiménez 33 DF Gonzalo Piovi 34 MF Leonardo Sámano 35 FW Luis Gutiérrez

Other Players Under Contract

No. Position Player DF Juan Escobar (injured)

Out on Loan

No. Position Player GK Sebastián Jurado (at Juárez) MF Ramiro Carrera (at Lanús)

No. Position Player FW Diber Cambindo (at Necaxa)

Reserve Teams

Cruz Azul Lagunas

This is a reserve team that plays in the Liga TDP, which is the fourth level of Mexican football.

Player Records

Top Scorers in a Season

Primera División

Most league goals (single season)

Rank	Name	Season	Goals
1	Horacio López Salgado	1974–75	25
2	Carlos Hermosillo	1993–94	27
		1994–95	35
		1995–96	26
5	Sebastián Abreu	Verano 2002	19
6	Emanuel Villa	Apertura 2009	17
7	Jonathan Rodríguez	Guardianes 2020	12
8	Uriel Antuna	Clausura 2024	8

All-Time Top Goalscorers

Most goals scored

Rank	Player	Years	Goals
1	Carlos Hermosillo	1991–1998	198
2	Horacio López Salgado	1971–1982	133
3	Francisco Palencia	1994–2001	110
4	Fernando Bustos	1963–1979	92
5	Eladio Vera	1971–1977	80
6	Christian Giménez	2010–2018	72
7	Pedro Duana	1986–1995	71
8	Adrián Camacho	1977–1986	67
9	Emanuel Villa	2009–2012	66
10	Javier Orozco	2005–2013	63
	Octavio Muciño	1969–1973

Managers

Managerial History

Period	Name	Notes
1961–62	Paulino Sanchez	First coach for Cruz Azul as a professional team.
1962–66	Jorge Marik	Led the team to the top league by winning the second division in 1963–64.
1966	Walter Ormeño
1966–75	Raúl Cárdenas	Won five league titles, three CONCACAF Champions' Cups, and one national cup.
1975–76	José Moncebáez
1976	Jorge Marik
1976	Alfonso Portugal
1977–82	Ignacio Trelles	Won two league titles.
1982	Miguel Marín
1982–83	Enrique Meza
1983–86	Alberto Quintano
1986–88	Hector Pulido
1988	Manuel Lapuente
1988–90	Mario Velarde
1990	Axel Bierbaum
1990–92	Ignacio Prieto
July 1, 1992 – December 31, 1992	Nelson Acosta
July 1, 1992 – January 29, 1995	Enrique Meza	Second time coaching the club.
1995–96	Luis Fernando Tena	Won the 1996 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
July 1, 1996 – March 9, 1997	Víctor Manuel Vucetich	Won the national cup in 1996–97.
1997	Jesús del Muro
1997–2000	Luis Fernando Tena	Won Cruz Azul's eighth league title in 1997 and the 1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
March 31, 2000 – December 31, 2002	José Luis Trejo	Led Cruz Azul to the Copa Libertadores final in 2001.
January 1, 2003 – March 7, 2003	Mario Carrillo
March 15, 2003 – March 7, 2004	Enrique Meza
March 12, 2004 – October 17, 2004	Luis Fernando Tena
October 19, 2004 - December, 2004	José Luis Saldívar
January, 2005 – December 15, 2005	Rubén Omar Romano
December 15, 2005 – May 20, 2007	Isaac Mizrahi Smeke
July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008	Sergio Markarián	Led Cruz Azul to a final after almost 10 years.
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009	Benjamín Galindo	Lost two finals with Cruz Azul.
July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012	Enrique Meza	Led the team to another league final and a CONCACAF Champions League final.
July 1, 2012 – December 3, 2013	Guillermo Vázquez	Won the national cup in 2013.
December 4, 2013 – May 19, 2015	Luis Fernando Tena	Won the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League.
June 1, 2015 – September 28, 2015	Sergio Bueno
October 2, 2015 – October 22, 2016	Tomás Boy
November 28, 2016 – November 27, 2017	Paco Jémez	Led Cruz Azul to the playoffs for the first time in years.
December 5, 2017 – September 2, 2019	Pedro Caixinha	Won a national cup in 2018 and the Supercopa MX in 2019.
September 6, 2019 – December 11, 2020	Robert Siboldi	Won the first ever Leagues Cup.
January 7, 2021 – May 19, 2022	Juan Reynoso	Won the club's ninth league title in 2021.
May 30, 2022 – August 20, 2022	Diego Aguirre	Won the first Supercopa de la Liga MX.
August 22, 2022 – February 13, 2023	Raúl Gutiérrez
February 23, 2023 – August 7, 2023	Ricardo Ferretti
August 8, 2023 – December 19, 2023	Joaquín Moreno
December 20, 2023 – Present	Martín Anselmi

Honors

•      record
• ^s shared record

Records

Cruz Azul's match against América at the Estadio Azteca.

• Cruz Azul is the only CONCACAF club to win the North American treble twice (league, national cup, and CONCACAF Champions' Cup) in 1969 and 1997.
• They have the second-most international titles for a Mexican club.
• Cruz Azul holds the record for most consecutive wins in the Mexican league: 12 wins in the Guard1anes 2021 season.
• They were the first Mexican team to win a final with a "golden goal" (in 1997).
• Cruz Azul has played in the most league finals (14) and has the second-most final wins (6).
• They are one of only three teams to win three league titles in a row (1971–72, 1972–73, and 1973–74).
• Cruz Azul became champions very quickly after being promoted, winning their first title just five years later.
• They were the fastest team to win seven league titles, doing it in only 15 years in the top division.

Club Statistics and Records

Amateur Era (1931–1961)

During their amateur days, Cruz Azul was made up of workers from the cement factory. They were very dominant in their local league.

• Most consecutive titles in Hidalgo state amateur league: 15 titles (from 1932 to 1943).
• First recorded match: A big 16–0 win against Jilotepec.

Professional Era (Since 1961)

• Seasons in Primera División: 60 seasons. They have never been relegated since 1964–65!
• Seasons in Segunda División: 3 seasons.
• Playoff (Liguilla) appearances: 60 times.
• Finals played: 21 times.
• 1st place finishes: 15 times.
• Promotion to Primera División: 1 time (in 1963–64).
• Best league finish (long tournaments): 1st place (7 times).
• Best league finish (short tournaments): 1st place (8 times).
• Worst league finish (short tournaments): 18th place (Clausura 2009).
• Highest score in a national game: 8–2 against Toros Neza (1993–94).
• Highest score in an international game: 12–2 against Leslie Verdes (1988) and 11–0 against Seattle Sounders (1996).
• Most points in a short season: 42 points (Apertura 2024), a Mexican record for a 17-game tournament.
• Longest unbeaten streak: 19 games (1973–74).
• Longest unbeaten streak at home: 47 games (1978–1980), a Mexican record.
• Most consecutive wins: 12 games (Guardianes 2021), a Mexican record.
• Player with most goals in a season: Carlos Hermosillo, 35 goals (1994–95).
• Most successful manager: Raúl Cárdenas, won 11 titles.
• Most successful player: Fernando Bustos, won 13 titles.

Images for kids

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  Álvarez Macías (right) holding the second division trophy in 1964

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  Cruz Azul's 1993–94 season squad.

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  Cruz Azul vs Atlante in 2009.

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  Cruz Azul vs. Herediano in the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League.

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  Monterrey vs Cruz Azul in the 2009 Apertura final.

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  Logo of La Sangre Azul.

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  La Sangre Azul creating a mosaic in support of Cruz Azul at Estadio Azul.

See also

In Spanish: Club de Fútbol Cruz Azul para niños