Cruz Azul

Club Deportivo Social y Cultural Cruz Azul, or Deportivo Cruz Azul or short Cruz Azul, is a Mexican football club that is based in Mexico City since the 1971/72 season. Cruz Azul plays in the Primera División de México and carries the home games at the Estadio Azul, located close to the south of the city center. Thither the team moved in 1996, after playing for many years in much further south Estadio Azteca in the Coyoacan neighborhood.

History

The club was on 22 May 1927 by workers of the cement factory " La Cruz Azul SA " founded in the city of Jasso, Hidalgo. Guillermo Álvarez Macías and Carlos Garcés were the main initiators for the establishment and rapid, early successes of the club, which is often represented the state of Hidalgo in national amateur tournaments.

From 1927 to 1960, the amateur team often played in Mexico City against the reserve teams of renowned clubs such as Club América, Necaxa, Atlante, Asturias and Marte. Under the impact of the increasing success of the team guiding the cement company the team for the season decided (which later changed its name to " Cooperativa Cruz Azul " changed ) in 1960 to build in Jasso a new stadium, the Estadio 10 de diciembre, and 1960/61, to officially register in the second division.

1964 the team won under the Hungarian coach Jorge Marik, the second division championship, which for promotion to the top Mexican league, the Primera División, legitimate. The cadres of the ascent team consisted of the following players: Aurelio Calvillo, Enrique Hernández, Enrique López, Félix Cárdenas, Fernando Bustos, Gabriel López, Héctor Pulido, Ismael Velazquez, Jaime Lomeli, Jesús García, José Guadalupe Díaz, Luis Bejarano, Porfirio Gutierrez, Rafael Padilla, Ramón Ibarra, Raul Arellano, Roberto Muciño, Roberto Reynoso, Regelio Alba.

In the first season they finished in eighth place, what legitimate to hope for the future. Four years later, Cruz Azul was Raúl Cárdenas for the first time Mexican champion.

Cruz Azul became the most successful Mexican team of the 1970s, was national champion six times, including four times under Raúl Cárdenas and twice under Ignacio Trelles. Because of this dominance the team a nickname it carries today was called " La Máquina " ( the locomotive ).

In 1997, the team brought their eighth and so far last championship win under coach Luis Fernando Tena.

2001

2001 Cruz Azul was invited to a tournament of Mexican and Venezuelan teams. The two best teams in this tournament waved the right to participate in the Copa Libertadores, the competition of the best South American club teams. Cruz Azul managed not only in the first attempt the same qualifications, but drew equal to the final, after they had turned famous Brazilian and Argentinian teams such as São Caetano, Rosario Central and River Plate. In the final they met the Argentine club Boca Juniors. The first leg, they lost at home 0-1, but won it back the game away with the same result. It was the first time that Boca Juniors lost a final of the Copa Libertadores home. After the extension did not yield any goals, had to make the decision, in which the more experienced players of Boca Juniors prevailed a penalty shootout. However, Cruz Azul was the big surprise of the year in this competition, as it had advanced at the first participation to the final. The former coach was José Luis Trejo, who in 2006 with the Mexican club CF Pachuca champion.

2005

On 19 July 2005, the coach of Cruz, Ruben Omar Romano Argentina, abducted after training. He could be freed two months later by a police action. Seven suspected kidnappers were arrested.

Historical logos

• First Logo
• Second Logo

Title

• Mexican league champions: 8 In 1968/69, México 70, 1971/72 1972 /73 1973/74 1978 /79 1979/80, Invierno 1997

• 2001

The "best team of all time"

The Mexican sports daily Record has the following "Dream Team " of the CD Cruz Azul with key players in the club's history the Cementeros determined ( the annual figures in brackets are the club membership ):

Miguel Marín (1971-1980) - Ignacio Flores (1972-1990), Alberto Quintano (1971-1977), Javier Guzmán (1967-1978), Javier Sánchez Galindo (1966-1974) - Carlos Jara Saguier (1975-1983), Guillermo Mendizábal (1974-1982), Fernando Bustos (1963-1976) - Francisco Palencia (1989-2001), Carlos Hermosillo (1991-1998), Eladio Vera ( 1971-1977 ).

Other well-known former players

• Argentina Luciano Figueroa (2004)
• Mauro Camoranesi Italy Argentina (1998-2000)
• Argentina César Delgado (2003-2007)
• Gerardo Torrado Mexico (since 2005)
• Mexico Óscar Pérez (1998-2008)
• Mexico Aarón Galindo (2002-2006)
• Mexico Ricardo Osorio (2002-2006)
• Mexico Francisco Fonseca (2005-2006)