C.F. Monterrey
On the 28th of June 1945, a group of industrial businessmen in Monterney formed Club de Football Monterrey. Ramón Cárdenas Coronado led the effort alongside Enrique Ayala Medina and Paul C. Probert. The team played its first professional match on the 19th of August 1945 against San Sebastián de León. José "Che" Gómez scored the winning goal in that 1, 0 victory. Joy turned to tragedy when the club's traveling bus crashed on the roads near San Juan de los Lagos. The accident claimed the lives of many players and left survivors with deep emotional scars. The team lost 21 games in a row after the disaster and conceded 121 goals during that season. They finished last in the league and decided to stop playing in 1946 out of respect for those who died. Dr. Carlos Canseco helped revive the club in 1952 by enrolling them in the second division. Four years later they earned promotion back to the top flight.
Víctor Manuel Vucetich took over as head coach in January 2009. He built a squad featuring Humberto Suazo and Aldo de Nigris up front. Luis Ernesto Perez and Jesus Arellano anchored the midfield while Jose Maria Basanta, Duilio Davino, and Jonathan Orozco formed the defense. Monterrey won their third league title in Apertura 2009 after defeating Cruz Azul 6, 4 on aggregate. The first leg saw Rayados overcome a 3, 1 deficit to win 4, 3 at Estadio Tecnológico. They secured four more titles between 2009 and 2013 including three consecutive CONCACAF Champions League victories. In 2010, 11 they beat Real Salt Lake 3, 2 in the final. The following year they defeated Santos Laguna 3, 0 in the second leg of the championship series. A dramatic comeback in 2012, 13 saw them score four goals within 30 minutes against Santos Laguna. Vucetich stepped down on the 25th of August 2013 after earning five titles in four years.
The first official Clásico Regiomontano took place on the 13th of July 1974 at Estadio Universitario. The match ended in a 1, 1 draw between Monterrey and Tigres UANL. As of August 2022 there have been 128 official encounters with Tigres winning 47 times and Monterrey claiming 42 victories. Thirty-nine games ended in draws. Average attendance for early matches reached 70,000 fans before stadium renovations. Both teams consistently sell out their home games regardless of weather or standings. The rivalry is considered one of the most intense in Mexican football. Fans from La Adicción support Rayados while Libres y Lokos back Tigres during these clashes. In March 1996 Monterrey defeated Tigres 2, 1 to force relegation upon their rivals for the first time in history. Playoff meetings often feature dramatic moments such as the 4, 3 aggregate victory over Tigres in 2016 quarterfinals.
Monterrey played home matches at Estadio Tecnológico from 1950 until 2015. The venue opened on the 17th of July 1950 under Mexican president Miguel Alemán Valdés. It held 38,000 spectators and hosted four World Cup matches in 1986. Demolition began in July 2017 after the team moved to a new facility. FEMSA developed the Estadio BBVA starting in October 2011 at a cost of approximately US$200 million. The new stadium has a capacity of 53,500 people and features an authentic grass surface. Christopher Lee designed the structure with inspiration from England's Wembley Stadium. It was inaugurated on the 2nd of August 2015 when Rayados defeated Benfica 3, 0 before a sold-out crowd. The club moved into the venue during Apertura 2015. On the 29th of May 2016 they played their first final there against Pachuca in front of 50,000 fans.
In 2010 Monterrey won its first CONCACAF Champions League title by defeating Real Salt Lake 3, 2 on aggregate. They followed this with back-to-back victories in 2011, 12 and 2012, 13 against Santos Laguna. The club finished third in the FIFA Club World Cup in both 2012 and 2019. In 2020 they completed a historic treble by winning Liga MX, Copa MX, and CONCACAF Champions League titles simultaneously. This achievement made them only the second Mexican club to accomplish such a feat. Diego Alonso led the team to victory over Tigres in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League final. Rogelio Funes Mori became the club's all-time top scorer with 160 total goals across all competitions. Humberto Suazo ranks second with 121 goals scored between 2008 and 2017.
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Common questions
When was Club de Football Monterrey founded and who led its formation?
Club de Football Monterrey was founded on the 28th of June 1945 by a group of industrial businessmen. Ramón Cárdenas Coronado led the effort alongside Enrique Ayala Medina and Paul C. Probert.
What happened to Club de Football Monterrey after the bus crash in 1945?
The club lost 21 games in a row and conceded 121 goals during that season following the tragic accident near San Juan de los Lagos. They finished last in the league and decided to stop playing in 1946 out of respect for those who died.
How many CONCACAF Champions League titles did Club de Football Monterrey win under Victor Manuel Vucetich?
Monterrey won three consecutive CONCACAF Champions League victories between 2009 and 2013 while Victor Manuel Vucetich served as head coach. The team secured four more titles between 2009 and 2013 including these continental championships.
Where does Club de Football Monterrey play home matches and when did they move to their new stadium?
Club de Football Monterrey played home matches at Estadio Tecnológico from 1950 until 2015 before moving to the new venue. The club moved into the Estadio BBVA during Apertura 2015 after it was inaugurated on the 2nd of August 2015.
Who is the all-time top scorer for Club de Football Monterrey and how many goals did he score?
Rogelio Funes Mori became the club's all-time top scorer with 160 total goals across all competitions. Humberto Suazo ranks second with 121 goals scored between 2008 and 2017.