Cruz Azul is a professional football club based in Mexico City, Mexico, participating in Liga MX. Established in 1927 in Jasso, Hidalgo, it relocated to Mexico City in 1971. Initially playing at Estadio Azteca, they moved to Estadio Azul in 1996 and returned to the Azteca after the 2017-18 season. The club's headquarters are located in La Noria, Xochimilco, in southern Mexico City.
1924: Mexico National Team Inclusion
In 1924, Carlos Garces López was included in the Mexico national team for athletics.
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1925: Lobbying for Football
In 1925, Carlos Garces López lobbied for many months to change the official company sport to football.
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March 22, 1927: Football Election Victory
On March 22, 1927, an election favored football as the company sport for Cooperativa La Cruz Azul, leading to the establishment of a football team.
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1927: Club Foundation
In 1927, Club de Futbol Cruz Azul was founded in Jasso, Hidalgo, marking the beginning of the club's history.
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1927: Club Founding
In 1927, Cruz Azul was founded, and its crest design included a blue cross within a white circle framed by a red square, symbolizing unity, resilience, and teamwork.
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1928: Mexico National Team Inclusion
In 1928, Carlos Garces López was included in the Mexico national team for athletics and football.
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March 1, 1931: Acquisition by La Tolteca
On March 1, 1931, Cooperativa La Cruz Azul was bought by cement company La Tolteca for 1 million pesos due to economic troubles.
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October 15, 1931: Property Transfer Prevention
On October 15, 1931, a scheduled transfer of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul's property was prevented by 192 workers who unionized and sued the executives.
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1931: Employment of Guillermo Álvarez Macías
In 1931, Guillermo Álvarez Macías began working at the cooperative at the age of 12.
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May 21, 1932: Workers as Collective Owners
On May 21, 1932, the governor of Hidalgo decreed the 192 workers of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul as collective owners of the plant.
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1932: Consecutive League Titles Begin
From 1932, Cruz Azul began a streak of winning 15 consecutive league titles in an amateur league in the state of Hidalgo.
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January 29, 1934: Reestablishment as a Cooperative
On January 29, 1934, the company changed its name to Cooperativa Manufacturera de Cemento Portland La Cruz Azul, S.C.L, reestablishing itself as a cooperative.
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1937: Growing Popularity
By 1937, Cruz Azul had garnered a considerable following both in Hidalgo and Mexico City, and Guillermo Álvarez Macías began playing on the team.
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November 2, 1941: Debt Settlement and Celebration Match
On November 2, 1941, the debt was settled 10 years after workers took ownership of the plant, and Cruz Azul organized a celebration match against R.C. España that ended in a 0–0 draw.
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1943: Consecutive League Titles End
Until 1943, Cruz Azul won 15 consecutive league titles in an amateur league in the state of Hidalgo.
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December 10, 1953: Appointment of Guillermo Álvarez Macías
On December 10, 1953, Guillermo Álvarez Macías was appointed general manager of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul.
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1958: Lobbying for Federation Membership
In 1958, team captain Luis Velázquez Hernández lobbied the Mexican Football Federation for official membership on behalf of Cruz Azul.
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1960: Invitation to Copa de la Segunda División de México
Despite not possessing federation membership and due to Sánchez's personal contacts, in 1960 Cruz Azul was invited to compete in the 1960-61 edition of Copa de la Segunda División de México.
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1960: Purchase of Lafayette Team and Stadium Plans
In 1960, Cruz Azul purchased the Lafayette team to serve as reserves and conceived plans to construct a club stadium.
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April 2, 1961: Copa de la Segunda División Debut
On April 2, 1961, Cruz Azul played its debut game in the Copa de la Segunda División de México against Zamora, winning 2–1.
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April 9, 1961: Second Leg Against Zamora
On April 9, 1961, the second leg against Zamora ended in a 3–3 draw.
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1961: Registration to Second Tier League
In 1961, Cruz Azul was officially registered to compete in the nation's second tier professional league for the 1961–62 season.
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1961: Jorge Marik Signs as Manager
In 1961, Jorge Marik signed on to manage Cruz Azul.
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1961: Stadium Construction Begins
In 1961, ground broke to construct Estadio 10 de Diciembre.
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1963: Stadium Construction Finished
In 1963, Estadio 10 de Diciembre was finished.
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1963: Promotion to Primera División
In the 1963–64 Mexican Segunda División season, Marik led Cruz Azul to the 1st position on the general table earning a direct promotion to Primera División.
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March 6, 1964: Estadio Renovation
On March 6, 1964, Estadio 10 de Diciembre underwent renovations to rebuild the wooden stands and dressing rooms.
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1964: First Season in Top Flight
During the 1964–65 Mexican Primera División season, Cruz Azul played their first season in the top flight.
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1964: Emblem Refinement
In 1964, Cruz Azul refined its emblem to a rounder design that included the full name, Club Deportivo Cruz Azul, marking a shift in the club's identity.
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1964: Stadium Inauguration
In 1964, Cruz Azul started playing at Estadio 10 de Diciembre in Jasso, Hidalgo.
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1965: Marik Leaves Club
After poor results, Marik left the club after the 1965–66 Mexican Primera División season.
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October 20, 1966: Raúl Cárdenas Signed as Coach
On October 20, 1966, Raúl Cárdenas signed as coach for Cruz Azul.
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1968: Treble Win
During the 1968–69 season under the direction of Cárdenas, Cruz Azul won their first Copa México, their first Primera División title, and their first CONCACAF Champions' Cup completing a treble.
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1968: Continental Treble
During the 1968–69 season, Cruz Azul achieved a rare continental treble by winning the Primera División, Copa México, and CONCACAF Champions' Cup, becoming the first CONCACAF club and third worldwide to accomplish this feat.
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1968: League Title Win
In 1968, Cruz Azul won the league title while playing at Estadio 10 de Diciembre.
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1969: Second Place Finish
During the 1969–70 Mexican Primera División season, Cruz Azul finished in second place on the general table.
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December 15, 1970: Awarded CONCACAF Champions' Cup
On December 15, 1970, Cruz Azul was awarded the 1970 CONCACAF Champions' Cup after Saprissa and Transvaal withdrew from the competition.
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1970: Start of La Máquina Celeste Era
Between 1970 and 1980, Cruz Azul led the Primera División with six league tournament championships and earned the nickname La Máquina Celeste.
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1970: League Title Win
In 1970, Cruz Azul won the league title while playing at Estadio 10 de Diciembre.
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1971: Stadium Departure
In 1971, Cruz Azul left Estadio 10 de Diciembre in Jasso, Hidalgo, but it remained an alternate venue for some matches.
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1971: Move to Mexico City
In 1971, Cruz Azul officially moved to Mexico City, establishing a greater presence after its founding in 1927.
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1973: Stars Added to Crest
In 1973, following Cruz Azul's first league title, stars were added above the cross on the crest to represent these achievements, with the crest displaying three stars.
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December 18, 1976: Death of Guillermo Álvarez Macías
On December 18, 1976, Guillermo Álvarez Macías died of a heart attack at the age of 56.
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1980: End of La Máquina Celeste Era
Between 1970 and 1980, Cruz Azul led the Primera División with six league tournament championships and earned the nickname La Máquina Celeste.
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1980: Crest Standardization
In 1980, Cruz Azul standardized the stars on its crest and streamlined the design to enhance brand consistency, allowing it to adapt more easily across various media and merchandise.
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1988: America's League Championship Victory Against Cruz Azul
During 1988–89, Carlos Hermosillo was fundamental to America's league championship victory against Cruz Azul
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1988: Guillermo Héctor Álvarez Cuevas Assumes Position
In 1988, Guillermo Héctor Álvarez Cuevas assumed the position of general manager at the cooperative Cooperativa La Cruz Azul and presidency of Cruz Azul.
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1991: Signing of Carlos Hermosillo
For the 1991–92 season, Cruz Azul signed Carlos Hermosillo, a controversial move due to his past with América.
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1992: Reserve Team in Primera División "A"
From 1992, the reserve team played in the Primera División "A".
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1993: Top Goal Scorer
In 1993–94, Carlos Hermosillo was the league's top goal scorer with 27 goals.
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1994: Top Goal Scorer
In 1994–95, Carlos Hermosillo was the league's top goal scorer with 35 goals.
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1994: League Final Appearance
In the 1994–95 season, Cruz Azul reached a league final for the first time in 6 years, finishing 3rd in the league's overall table, but were defeated by Necaxa.
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1995: Top Goal Scorer
In 1995–96, Carlos Hermosillo was the league's top goal scorer with 26 goals.
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1996: Move to Estadio Azul
In 1996, Cruz Azul briefly left Estadio Azteca for the Estadio Azul.
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1996: Move to Estadio Azul
In 1996, Cruz Azul moved from Estadio Azteca to Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, later renamed Estadio Azul, after playing at the Azteca since its move to Mexico City in 1971.
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1996: Move to Estadio Azul
In 1996, Cruz Azul moved to the Estadio Azul, located in Mexico City's Colonia Nápoles.
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1996: CONCACAF Champions' Cup and Copa México Titles
In 1996, Cruz Azul won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup managed by Víctor Manuel Vucetich and the 1996–97 Copa México.
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August 24, 1997: CONCACAF Champions' Cup Title
On August 24, 1997, Cruz Azul won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup for the second consecutive year, defeating LA Galaxy 5–3 in the final, under the management of Luis Fernando Tena.
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December 7, 1997: Invierno League Tournament Win
On December 7, 1997, Cruz Azul won the Invierno 1997 league tournament against León via golden goal, marking an end to the club's 17 year long league drought.
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1997: Previous Title
Cruz Azul's previous title drought ended after 23 years in 2021. The last title before that was in 1997.
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1997: Beginning of Title Drought
From 1997 until May 30, 2021, the club was infamous in Mexico for not having won a Mexican league title, a period known as the "Cruz Azul curse".
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1997: Crest Redesign
In 1997, Cruz Azul introduced a significant redesign of its crest, updating the emblem to a circular shape and adding the word "Mexico" around the outer ring.
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1997: Cruz Azul won league title
In 1997, Juan Reynoso had been part of the Cruz Azul squad that won their previous league title.
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January 2001: La Sangre Azul Establishment
In January 2001, La Sangre Azul, Cruz Azul's only official supporters' group, was established.
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2001: Copa Libertadores Final
In 2001, Cruz Azul reached the final of the Copa Libertadores, a prestigious South American club competition, becoming the first CONCACAF team to achieve this feat, but lost to Boca Juniors on penalties.
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2001: Invitation to Copa Libertadores Qualifying Tournament
In 2001, Cruz Azul was invited to a tournament between select Mexican and Venezuelan teams to compete for a spot in the Copa Libertadores.
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2001: Copa Libertadores Final Match
In 2001, Cruz Azul, as a seeded team, reached the Copa Libertadores final match after leading Group 7 and defeating Cerro Porteño in the round of 16.
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2003: Reserve Team in Primera División "A"
From 2003, the reserve team played in the Primera División "A".
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2003: Reserve Team in Primera División "A"
Until 2003, the reserve team played in the Primera División "A".
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2004: Las Celestes Inclusion
In 2004, Cruz Azul included Las Celestes, its official cheerleading club, as part of the institution.
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July 16, 2005: Rubén Omar Romano Abduction
On July 16, 2005, Cruz Azul's manager Rubén Omar Romano was abducted after a pre-season practice. A ransom was demanded, and assistant coach Isaac Mizrahi took over in his absence.
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2005: Mizrahi Offered Manager Position
In 2005, while Romano was in captivity, Cruz Azul decided not to renew his contract and instead offered the manager position to Isaac Mizrahi, leading to a fallout between them.
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2006: Reserve Team in Primera División "A"
From 2006, the reserve team played in the Primera División "A".
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2006: Reserve Team in Segunda División
From 2006, the reserve team played in the Segunda División.
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2006: Reserve Team in Primera División "A"
Until 2006, the reserve team played in the Primera División "A".
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2008: Apertura 2008 Season
In 2008, Cruz Azul finished in 5th place during the Apertura season with 7 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses.
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2008: Clausura 2008 Season and Final Loss
In 2008, Cruz Azul finished second in the Clausura season, reaching the final against Santos Laguna, but lost with an aggregate score of 3-2.
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2008: 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League Qualification
In 2008, Cruz Azul qualified for the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League as league runner-ups.
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2009: 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League
In 2009, Cruz Azul participated in the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League, advancing to the final stage of playoffs.
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2009: Apertura 2009 and Final Loss
In 2009, Cruz Azul, managed by Enrique Meza, finished second in the Apertura season but lost in the final to Monterrey, marking their third consecutive league finals loss.
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2009: Worst Tournament in Club History
In 2009, during the Clausura, Cruz Azul had the worst tournament in club history, finishing last and leading to the sacking of manager Benjamín Galindo.
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April 2012: Name Change
In April 2012, Cruz Azul officially changed their name to Cruz Azul Fútbol Club, A.C.
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2013: Rematch of Clausura 2013 final
Cruz Azul faced América in a rematch of the Clausura 2013 final for the Apertura 2018 final.
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2013: Copa MX Win and Liga MX Final Loss
In 2013, Cruz Azul won the Copa MX final, improving their Liga MX performance, but ultimately lost the Liga MX final against Club America after a late comeback by America.
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2013: Cruzazulear Origin
Sometime in 2013, the term "cruzazulear", meaning losing a game after victory seems assured, began being used to describe Cruz Azul's tendency to lose matches in that manner.
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2013: First trophy since 2013
The Copa MX win was their first trophy since 2013.
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April 23, 2014: CONCACAF Championship Win and FIFA Club World Cup Berth
On April 23, 2014, Cruz Azul won their 6th CONCACAF championship, earning a spot at the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup.
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2014: Reserve Team in Liga Premier
From 2014, the reserve team played in the Liga Premier.
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2014: Start of Liguilla Inability
In 2014, with the Clausura, Cruz Azul began a streak of failing to qualify for the liguilla playoffs for six consecutive tournaments.
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2014: Club World Ranking
In its 2014 Club World Ranking, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics placed Cruz Azul as the 99th-best club in the world and the third-best club in CONCACAF.
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March 2015: Loss of Club Support
In March 2015, La Sangre Azul lost the support of Cruz Azul's board due to violent incidents.
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2015: Reserve Team in Segunda División/Liga Premier
From 2015, the reserve team played in the Segunda División/Liga Premier.
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2015: Reserve Team in Segunda División
Until 2015, the reserve team played in the Segunda División.
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November 2017: Paco Jémez Departure
On 27 November 2017, Cruz Azul announced that Paco Jémez would not renew his contract for the following season.
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2017: Return to Estadio Azteca
Following the conclusion of the 2017–18 Liga MX season, Cruz Azul returned to Estadio Azteca after 22 years at Estadio Azul.
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May 2018: Peláez Replaces de la Torre as Director of Football
On 7 May 2018, Ricardo Peláez replaced Eduardo de la Torre as director of football for Cruz Azul.
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December 2018: Apertura 2018 Final Loss
In December 2018, Cruz Azul lost the Apertura final against América with a score of 2-0, extending their championship drought.
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2018: Return to Estadio Azteca
In 2018, Cruz Azul left Estadio Azul and returned to the Estadio Azteca due to a contract renewal issue.
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2018: Return to Estadio Azteca
In 2018, Cruz Azul returned to the Estadio Azteca.
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2018: Apertura Copa MX Final Win
In 2018, Cruz Azul won the Apertura Copa MX Final against Monterrey with a score of 2-0, marking their first trophy in the tournament since 2013.
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2018: Reserve Team in Segunda División/Liga Premier
Until 2018, the reserve team played in the Segunda División/Liga Premier.
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2019: Cruz Azul remained unbeaten
Cruz Azul remained unbeaten for the rest of the regular season, finishing as league leaders with 41 points from 17 matches, an 80% effectiveness rate that also tied León's record from 2019.
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2019: Tying the Liga MX Record
The season started poorly for Cruz Azul, with consecutive defeats against Santos Laguna and Puebla, losing both games 1–0. However, the team turned things around in the third matchday, securing a 1–0 away victory against Pachuca. The Liga MX record was set by León in the Clausura 2019.
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May 2020: Indictment of Guillermo Alvarez Cuevas
In May 2020, Guillermo Alvarez Cuevas, then president of the club, was indicted on multiple accounts of financial crimes.
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August 2020: Alvarez Resignation
In August 2020, Guillermo Alvarez resigned from his position at Cruz Azul after 32 years as acting president due to the indictments against him.
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December 6, 2020: Guardianes 2020 Semi-Final Loss
On December 6, 2020, Cruz Azul lost the second leg of the Guardianes 2020 Liga MX semi-final against UNAM 0-4, tying in aggregate, and was eliminated due to UNAM's week 17 win.
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2020: Changes After Disappointing End
Following a disappointing end to 2020, Cruz Azul underwent significant changes.
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2020: "Cruzazulear" Recognized by Royal Spanish Academy
In 2020, the term "cruzazulear" gained official recognition by the Royal Spanish Academy, highlighting its prevalence in describing Cruz Azul's misfortunes.
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May 2021: Primera División Championship
In May 2021, Cruz Azul ended its 23-year Primera División championship drought by beating Santos Laguna 2–1 on aggregate at Estadio Azteca.
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May 30, 2021: Guardianes 2021 Title
On May 30, 2021, Cruz Azul broke their "curse" by winning the Guardianes 2021 final match versus Santos Laguna, after scoring 2–1.
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June 2, 2021: Interpol Search for Alvarez
As of June 2, 2021, Interpol continued to search for Guillermo Alvarez in 195 countries after an arrest warrant was issued in 2020.
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2021: Ninth Title Crest Modification
In 2021, Cruz Azul modified its crest to celebrate its ninth Liga MX title, adding a ninth star around the emblem and marking the end of a 23-year drought since their previous title in 1997.
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2021: Final Cruz Azul against Santos Laguna
In 2021, Cruz Azul pitted against Santos Laguna. Cruz Azul showcased a solid defensive performance, keeping a clean sheet. Luis Romo's exceptional solo effort resulted in the only goal of the match, giving Cruz Azul a 1–0 lead going into the second leg.
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2021: Ninth League Title
In 2021, Cruz Azul won their ninth league title while playing at the Estadio Azteca.
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2021: Juan Reynoso Appointed Head Coach
In 2021, Juan Reynoso was appointed as the new head coach of Cruz Azul.
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2021: Fan Base Ranking
In 2021, a survey placed Cruz Azul as the 3rd largest fan base in Mexico, with 10.9% or 14 million supporters.
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2021: Reserve Team in Liga Premier
Until 2021, the reserve team played in the Liga Premier.
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December 2023: Martín Anselmi Appointed Head Coach
In December 2023, Martín Anselmi was appointed as the head coach of Cruz Azul following the departure of Joaquín Moreno.
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2024: Temporary Return to Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes
In 2024, Cruz Azul announced a temporary return to the Estadio Azul, now known as the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, due to renovations at the Azteca.
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2024: Cruz Azul secured second place in the regular season
In 2024, Cruz Azul posted a video containing the song “Andar Conmigo”. In the playoffs, Cruz Azul secured second place in the regular season with 33 points.
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2024: Record-Breaking Draw
In 2024, Cruz Azul secured a draw against Tigres UANL in the final matchday, earning them 42 points and breaking the league record for most points in a short tournament.
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2025: Move to Estadio Olímpico Universitario
In 2025, Cruz Azul moved to the Estadio Olímpico Universitario due to logistical issues at the Colonia Nápoles stadium.
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2026: World Cup Stadium Renovations
In 2024, Cruz Azul announced a temporary return to Estadio Azul due to the Estadio Azteca renovations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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