Tigres UANL facts for kids
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| Full name | Club Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Tigres (Tigers) La U de Nuevo León (The U of Nuevo León) Los Auriazules (The Golden-Blues) Los Tigres de México (The Tigers of Mexico) |
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| Short name | UANL, TIG | |||
| Founded | 7 March 1960, as Club Deportivo Universitario de Nuevo León | |||
| Ground | Estadio Universitario | |||
| Capacity | 41,615 | |||
| Operator | CEMEX | |||
| Chairman | Mauricio Culebro | |||
| Head coach | Guido Pizarro | |||
| League | Liga MX | |||
| Clausura 2025 | Regular phase: 4th Final phase: Semifinals |
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Club Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, often called Tigres UANL or just Tigres, is a professional football team from Mexico. They are based in the Monterrey metropolitan area. The club started in 1960 as Club Deportivo Universitario de Nuevo León. In 1967, they changed their name to Tigres UANL.
Tigres has played in Liga MX, Mexico's top football league, for 60 years. Their first big win was in 1975–76, when they won the Copa MX. This made them the first team from Nuevo León to win a major trophy. Tigres has won the league championship eight times and the Copa MX three times.
In international games, Tigres won the CONCACAF Champions League in 2020. They also reached the finals of the 2015 Copa Libertadores Finals and the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup. In the Club World Cup, they became the first team from CONCACAF (North, Central America, and Caribbean) to reach the final.
Tigres is the official team of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León. Their home stadium is the Estadio Universitario, which holds 41,615 fans. It's located inside the university in San Nicolás de los Garza. The team's colors are gold and blue. Tigres has a big rivalry with C.F. Monterrey, and their local derby is called the Clásico Regiomontano.
Contents
Team History and Big Wins
How Tigres Started and Became Champions
The Club de Fútbol Tigres was founded on March 7, 1960. They used to be known as the Jabatos de Nuevo León. In 1967, their home stadium, the Estadio Universitario, was built.
In the 1973–74 season, coach José "Ché" Gómez led the team to win the title and move up to the top league, the Primera División de México (now Liga MX). They beat Leones Negros de la Universidad de Guadalajara 3–2. In the 1975–76 season, Tigres won their first national cup, the Copa México (now Copa MX), by beating América 3–2.
Under coach Carlos Miloc and with star players like Tomás Boy and Gerónimo Barbadillo, Tigres aimed for the league championship in 1977–78. They won their play-off games against Estudiantes Tecos and Cruz Azul. In the finals, they beat UNAM 3–1 to become champions. Tigres had their best season in 1978–79, but didn't reach the finals.
In the 1979–80 season, Tigres made it to the finals but lost to Cruz Azul. In 1981–82, they won their second league championship against Atlante after a penalty shootout. After many years with the team, the famous midfielder Tomás Boy retired in 1988. In 1990, Tigres lost the final of the 1989–90 Copa Mexico to Puebla.
Relegation and a Strong Comeback
In 1996, Tigres signed Chilean player Claudio Núñez. After some tough years, the team won their second national cup, beating Atlas 2–1. However, they were moved down to a lower league, Primera División A (now Ascenso MX), because of their overall performance in previous seasons. Mexican football uses a system where teams can be relegated based on their average performance over several years.
After some changes, the company CEMEX took over the team's management. In 1997, Tigres won two championships in the Primera División A and quickly returned to the top league. In 1998, they signed international striker Luis Hernández.
Under Brazilian coach Ricardo Ferretti, Tigres had a great season in Invierno 2001, finishing first. They reached the finals but lost to Pachuca. In June 2002, the talented Argentine midfielder Walter Gaitán joined the team and became a fan favorite. In Clausura 2003, Tigres reached the play-offs but lost to their rivals, Monterrey. Coach Ricardo Ferretti was then fired.
In Apertura 2003, with Argentine coach Nery Pumpido, Tigres finished first again. They reached the finals but lost to Pachuca once more. In Clausura 2004, Tigres had a huge win against their rival Monterrey, beating them 6–2.
In 2005, Tigres reached the play-offs again. In the quarter-finals, they faced América. Tigres lost the first game at home, but then won the second game 4–1 at the Estadio Azteca, which was a big surprise. This win is known as the "Aztecazo." They then played Monterrey in the semi-finals but lost.
On August 3, 2006, Tigres played a friendly match against Barcelona to celebrate CEMEX's 100th anniversary. In December 2007, Tigres signed Argentine midfielder Lucas Lobos, who became another important player for the team.
The Third Ferretti Era and "Team of the Decade" Success
In 2010, Tigres had a very difficult season. The team's president was replaced, and Ricardo Ferretti returned as head coach for the third time. This changed everything for Tigres. They avoided relegation and became one of the best teams in the league. With new players like Damián Ariel Álvarez, Danilinho, and Héctor Mancilla joining captain Lucas Lobos, their attack was called the "Cuatro Fantásticos" (Fantastic Four).
In Clausura 2011, Tigres finished first and had the best defense in the league's history, allowing only 9 goals. However, they were eliminated in the play-offs. In Apertura 2011, Tigres signed Carlos Salcido and again had the best defense. They won their play-off games and reached the finals against Santos Laguna. On December 11, 2011, Tigres won 3–1 at home, becoming champions for the third time after 29 years.
In Clausura 2012, Tigres reached the semi-finals but lost to Santos Laguna. In Clausura 2013, Tigres finished first in the regular season with only two losses. They faced Monterrey in the play-offs and lost.
For Apertura 2013, Tigres signed midfielders Guido Pizarro and Édgar Lugo. They reached the play-offs but lost to América. In 2014, Tigres won the Clausura 2014 Copa MX by beating Alebrijes de Oaxaca 3–0. Ricardo Ferretti became the first coach in Mexico to win both a league and a cup title with the same team.
In Apertura 2014, Tigres signed new players like goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán and striker Marco Ruben. They finished second in the regular season. They reached the finals but lost to América in a controversial match where three Tigres players were sent off.
For Apertura 2015, the team brought in wingers Jürgen Damm and Javier Aquino, and French striker André-Pierre Gignac. Tigres finished fifth, and Gignac scored 11 goals, a record for a Tigres player in his first season. In the play-offs, Tigres won their games and reached the finals against UNAM. The final was very exciting. Tigres won the first game 3–0, but UNAM won the second game 3–0, making the score 3–3. The game went to extra time, and then to a penalty shoot-out. Tigres won the shootout 4–2, claiming the Liga MX Apertura 2015 championship.
In Clausura 2016, Gignac was the top goal scorer with 13 goals. Tigres reached the play-offs but lost to Monterrey. For Apertura 2016, Tigres won the Campeón de Campeones Cup against Pachuca. They finished third in the regular season and had the best defense. In the play-offs, Tigres beat UNAM and León. In the finals against América, the game went to extra time and then to a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán saved three shots, and Tigres won, becoming the Apertura 2016 champions.
For Clausura 2017, Tigres signed Chilean forward Eduardo Vargas. They had the best defense again. In the play-offs, Tigres beat Monterrey 6–1 on aggregate. They then beat Tijuana 4–0 on aggregate to reach the finals against Guadalajara. Tigres lost the final in a controversial match.
For Apertura 2017, Tigres signed Ecuadorian forward Enner Valencia and Brazilian midfielder Rafael Carioca. They won the Campeón de Campeones Cup again, becoming back-to-back champions. Tigres finished second in the regular season. In the play-offs, they beat León and América. They then played their rival Monterrey in a historic final. Tigres won the second leg 2–1, winning the first league final between the two teams. After this fourth title since 2010, the media called Tigres "The Team of the Decade."
In Apertura 2018, Tigres signed Guido Pizarro again. They won the Campeones Cup for the third time in a row. They also won the Campeones Cup against Toronto FC in 2018.
In Clausura 2019, Tigres signed defender Carlos Salcedo. They finished second and won their seventh league championship by beating León in the finals. For Apertura 2019, Tigres signed defender Diego Reyes.
In May 2021, after a less successful season, Tigres hired coach Miguel Herrera, ending Ricardo Ferretti's eleven-year period. For Apertura 2021, Tigres signed French player Florian Thauvin, a 2018 World Cup champion.
After coach Miguel Herrera left in November 2022, Diego Cocca took over for Clausura 2023. Cocca then left to coach the Mexico national team, and Marco Antonio Ruiz became coach. After a loss, Ruiz was replaced by Robert Siboldi on April 10, 2023. Siboldi used to play for Tigres and was a fan favorite.
Under Siboldi, Tigres made it to the play-offs. They beat Toluca in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, they faced their city rival Monterrey, who had a great regular season. Tigres won 2–1 on aggregate, with Sebastián Córdova scoring both goals. In the finals, Tigres faced Guadalajara in a rematch of the 2017 final. Tigres was losing 2–0 at halftime in the second leg but came back to tie 2–2. Guido Pizarro scored the winning goal in extra time, making Tigres champions. Sebastián Córdova was a key player, scoring five goals in six games. On March 2, 2025, Guido Pizarro retired as a player and became the new head coach.
International Competitions
In January 2005, Tigres won the InterLiga Championship, which allowed them to play in the important Copa Libertadores de América for the first time. They played their first Copa Libertadores game on February 15, 2005, against Alianza Lima in Peru. Tigres won their first game in the tournament against Caracas. They reached the quarter-finals but were eliminated by São Paulo, who later won the tournament.
In January 2006, Tigres won their second Interliga, becoming the first Mexican team to qualify for two Copa Libertadores in a row. They played against tough teams like Universidad Católica and Corinthians. Tigres made it to the next round.
On August 5, 2009, Tigres won the final of the 2009 North American SuperLiga against the Chicago Fire.
After winning the Apertura 2011 championship, Tigres qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League for the first time. They lost in the quarter-finals to Seattle Sounders FC.
Copa Libertadores 2015
By finishing second in Apertura 2014, Tigres qualified for the Copa Libertadores 2015. They played in a group with River Plate, San José, and Juan Aurich. Tigres finished first in their group and moved on to the next stage.
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Tigres played against Universitario de Sucre in the Round of 16 and won. In the quarter-finals, they beat Emelec. They then faced S.C. Internacional in the semi-finals. Tigres won the second leg 3–1, with goals from André-Pierre Gignac, Egidio Arévalo, and an own goal. This win made Tigres the third Mexican team to reach the Copa Libertadores finals. In the finals, they played against River Plate. The first game was a 0–0 tie, but Tigres lost the second game 3–0.
CONCACAF Champions League 2015–16
As runners-up of Apertura 2014, Tigres qualified for the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League. They played in the group stage and advanced to the quarter-finals, where they beat Real Salt Lake. In the semi-finals, Tigres beat Querétaro. In the finals, they lost to Club América.
CONCACAF Champions League 2016–17
As champions of Apertura 2015, Tigres qualified for the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League. They won most of their group stage games. In the knockout stage, Tigres beat Pumas UNAM and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. However, they lost the finals to Pachuca FC.
CONCACAF Champions League 2020
Tigres won the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League by defeating LAFC 2–1. This was a big achievement for the club.
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Campeones Cup
Tigres won the first Campeones Cup in 2018, beating Toronto FC. They won it again in 2023, becoming the first team to win it more than once. Tigres is still the only Mexican team to have won this competition.
Leagues Cup
Tigres has played in the Leagues Cup twice. In 2019, they reached the final but lost to Cruz Azul. In 2023, they won their group matches and beat Vancouver Whitecaps. However, they lost to Monterrey in the Round of 16.
2020 FIFA Club World Cup
By winning the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League, Tigres qualified for the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar. In their first game, Tigres beat Ulsan Hyundai 2–1. They then won their semi-final match against Palmeiras 1–0. This made Tigres the first team from CONCACAF to reach a final in the FIFA Club World Cup. They played against FC Bayern Munich in the final and lost 1–0. André-Pierre Gignac scored all three of Tigres' goals in the tournament and was named the second-best player.
Team Culture
Team Colors
Since the club started in 1960, Tigres' main colors have been light gold and dark blue. For their home games, light gold is usually the main color, with dark blue as an accent. For away games, dark blue is the main color. Sometimes, they use other colors like black, white, red, green, or copper for their third kit.
Rivalry with Monterrey
Tigres' biggest rival is Monterrey. Their local derby is called the Clásico Regiomontano. Tickets for these games sell out very quickly. It's known as one of the most intense rivalries in Mexican football. The first Clásico was on July 13, 1974, and ended in a 3–3 tie. Tigres and Monterrey played a historic final for the Liga MX championship in Apertura 2017, which Tigres won. In 2019, Tigres lost the CONCACAF Champions League final to Monterrey.
Loyal Fanbase
Tigres is known for having one of the most loyal fanbases in Mexico. Their home stadium, the Estadio Universitario, is almost always full because they have over 39,000 season-ticket holders. Even when the team was relegated in 1996, fans continued to support them, filling the stadium for every home game in the lower league.
Tigres fans, nicknamed "Incomparables" (meaning "Incomparable ones"), are also known for traveling in large numbers to support the team at away games. The biggest group of fans is called Libres y Lokos, founded in 1998. On March 9, 2013, over 23,000 fans traveled to San Luis Potosí to support the team in an away game.
Players
First-team squad
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Players on Loan
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Reserve Teams
Tigres also has reserve teams, including Tigres SD, which plays in a lower league.
Honors and Trophies
National Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning editions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top division |
Primera División/Liga MX | 8 | 1977–78, 1981–82, Apertura 2011, Apertura 2015, Apertura 2016, Apertura 2017, Clausura 2019, Clausura 2023 | 1979–80, Invierno 2001, Apertura 2003, Apertura 2014, Clausura 2017, Apertura 2023 |
| Copa México/Copa MX | 3 | 1975–76, 1995–96, Clausura 2014 | 1989–90 | |
| Campeón de Campeones | 4 | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023 | 1976, 2019 | |
| Supercopa MX | 0 | – | 2014 | |
| Supercopa de la Liga MX | 0 | – | 2024 | |
| Promotion divisions | Primera División A | 2 | Invierno 1996, Verano 1997 | – |
| Campeón de Ascenso | 1 | 1997 | – | |
| Segunda División | 1 | 1973–74 | 1971–72 |
International Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning editions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Worldwide FIFA |
FIFA Club World Cup | 0 | – | 2020 |
 Continental CONCACAF |
CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League | 1 | 2020 | 2015–16, 2016–17, 2019 |
| Continental CONMEBOL | CONMEBOL Libertadores | 0 | – | 2015 |
Regional Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning editions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  North America MLSLiga MX |
Leagues Cup | 0 | – | 2019 |
| North American SuperLiga | 1s | 2009 | – | |
| Campeones Cup | 2 | 2018, 2023 | – |
- Notes
- record
- s shared record
Friendly Titles
- Triangular Melina Mercouri Grecia: 1995
- Rio Grande Plate: 2007, 2008, 2009
- Serie Mundial de Fútbol: 2007
- Copa Chiapas: 2008
- Copa Cani: 2013
- Copa Nissan: 2016
Images for kids
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The Estadio Universitario, Tigres' home stadium.
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Tigres UANL logo from 2002–2012.
See also
In Spanish: Tigres de la UANL para niños
- Football in Mexico
- List of world champion football clubs and vice-world champions in football
