The Clásico Joven (''Spanish for'': ''The Young Classic'') is an

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

rivalry between

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

-based teams América and

Cruz Azul Club de Futbol Cruz Azul S.A. de C.V., commonly referred to as Cruz Azul, is a professional association football, football club based in Mexico City, Mexico. It competes in Liga MX, the top tier of Mexican football league system, Mexican footba ...

. The first match between both teams took place on 30 August 1964 at the

Estadio 10 de Diciembre Estadio 10 de Diciembre is a multi-use stadium in the Mexican town of Jasso. It is currently used mostly for football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball ...

in a

friendly match An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, scrimmage, demonstration, training match, pre-season game, warmup match, or preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sport, sporting event whose prize money and impact on th ...

, with América winning 2–1 with goals by Martín Ibarreche and

Alfonso Portugal Alfonso Portugal Díaz (21 January 1934 – 12 June 2016) was a Mexican football player, who played as defender for Mexico in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. Career Portugal captained Club América to the 1965–66 Mexican Primera División title. H ...

, while

Hilario Díaz Hilario or Hilário can be both a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name *Hilario (footballer, born 1905) (Juan Hilario Marrero Pérez, 1905–1989), Spanish footballer and manager *Hilário (footballer, born 1939) ...

scored for Cruz Azul. However, the clásico truly began on 9 August 1972, when both teams faced off in the

final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...

of the 1971–72 season, where Cruz Azul defeated América 4–1.

History of the Rivalry

Early years and the origin of the "Clásico" (1963–72)

The rivalry between América and Cruz Azul began prior to the match that officially gave rise to the term "Clásico Joven." The two teams first met on 23 June 1963, in a friendly match that América won decisively by a score of 4–0. Francisco Valdés scored the first goal in the history of the rivalry in the 32nd minute. In the following season, Cruz Azul earned promotion to Mexico's top division by winning the 1963–64 Mexican Segunda División. This promotion set the stage for their first official encounter, where América again emerged victorious, defeating Cruz Azul 2–1. It took 12 matches for Cruz Azul to secure their first win against América, which came on matchday 26 of the 1967–68 season with a goal by Raúl Arellano. The rivalry intensified in the 1971–72 season when the two teams faced off in a match that decided the league champion. Cruz Azul defeated América 4–1 in a decisive victory, denying América a consecutive championship. This match, regarded as the catalyst for the rivalry, followed América's elimination by Cruz Azul in the quarterfinals of the

Copa México Copa MX, also known as Copa Corona MX for sponsorship reasons, was an association football competition in Mexico and the domestic cup tournament for clubs at the highest and second levels of Mexican football league system. Formerly known as Copa ...

during the previous season. The league final was played as a single-leg match, as stipulated by tournament regulations at the time. In the final,

Héctor Pulido Héctor Pulido Rodríguez (20 December 1942 – 18 February 2022) was a Mexican football player and manager who played as a midfielder. He played for the Mexico national team between 1967 and 1973, gaining 43 caps and scoring six goals. He was ...

opened the scoring for Cruz Azul with a well-placed shot past América's goalkeeper

Prudencio Cortés Prudencio or Prudêncio may refer to the following people ;Given name *Prudencio Benavides (1870–?), Cuban baseball center fielder and manager * Prudencio Cardona (born 1951), Colombian boxer * Prudencio Indurain (born 1968), Spanish cyclist *Prud ...

. Shortly after,

Fernando Bustos Fernando Bustos Castañeda (1 August 1944 – 23 September 1979) was a Mexican footballer who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics. Death Bustos died in a car accident on the road to Querétaro in 1979, aged just 35. Legacy Bustos was inducted ...

sent a precise cross that was headed by

Octavio Muciño Octavio Muciño Valdés (14 May 1950 – 3 June 1974) was a Mexican professional footballer who played as a centre-forward and midfield for Cruz Azul and Guadalajara as well as the Mexico national football team. Muciño was born in Jasso, Hidal ...

and finished by

Cesáreo Victorino Cesáreo Victorino Mungaray (born 19 March 1979) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He is one of the Mexican footballers to have played in Europe and was a part of the Mexico national team betwe ...

to make it 2–0. Cruz Azul dominated the match, and a one-two play between Bustos and Muciño near the end of the first half resulted in a third goal. Early in the second half, Muciño scored again to extend the lead to 4–0. América's only response came in the 90th minute, with a header from

Enrique Borja Enrique David Borja García (born 30 December 1945) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a forward. Career Borja was recruited by Universidad Nacional at the age of 17. He made his professional debut for the club on Mar ...

. Cruz Azul's goalkeeper, Miguel Marín, delivered an outstanding performance, making several crucial saves to secure the victory. This win marked Cruz Azul's third league title.

Cruz Azul dominance (1973–79)

América sought redemption a year after their decisive loss in the 1971–72 league final by defeating Cruz Azul in the 1973–74 Copa México final. América secured a 3–2 aggregate victory, with two goals from

Osvaldo Castro Osvaldo Castro Pelayo (born 14 April 1947) is a Chilean former professional footballer who played league football for clubs in Chile and Mexico, as well as playing international football for the Chile national team. Career Castro started his ...

and one from

Roberto Hodge Roberto Williams Hodge Rivera (30 July 1944 – 12 August 1986) was a Chilean footballer who played as a midfielder. Career Hodge played for Chile in the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Universidad de Chile, América, Tigres UANL and ...

. However, Cruz Azul responded in the same season by defeating América 2–1 in the

1974 Campeón de Campeones The 1974 Campeón de Campeones was the 32nd edition of the Campeón de Campeones, an annual football super cup match, and the 31st held in the professional era of Mexican football. The match-up featured Cruz Azul, the winners of the 1973–74 M ...

, avenging their Copa México loss from five months earlier. The goals for Cruz Azul were scored by

Horacio López Salgado Horacio José López Salgado (born 15 September 1948) is a Mexican former football forward, who played for the Mexico national team between 1968 and 1980, gaining 50 caps and scoring 13 goals. He was part of the Mexico squad for the 1970 World ...

and Eladio Vera, while Osvaldo Castro netted for América. This victory marked Cruz Azul's eighth official title in competitions organized by the

Federación Mexicana de Fútbol The Mexican Football Federation (), abbreviated as FMF is the official governing body of football in Mexico. It administers the men's and women's national teams with all its youth teams, the national teams of futsal and beach soccer, Liga MX wit ...

, including League, Cup, and Campeón de Campeones championships. During the 1970s, Cruz Azul established their dominance by remaining unbeaten at home against América in all competitions, including Copa México, Campeón de Campeones, and the group-stage liguillas of the 1978–79 season. Between the 1977–78, 1978–79, and 1979–80 seasons, Cruz Azul maintained an unbeaten home record against all opponents for over a year and a half, setting the longest home unbeaten streak in Mexican football history. These successes significantly increased Cruz Azul's fan base in

. Between 1970 and 1979, Cruz Azul won eight official titles across various competitions, while América secured six, including an

Copa Interamericana The Copa Interamericana () was an international association football, football competition endorsed by CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean) and CONMEBOL (South America). Established in 1969, it was discontinued in 1998 after CONCACAF ...

victory against

Boca Juniors Club Atlético Boca Juniors () is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Boca, a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. The club is best known for its men's professional Association football, football team which, since its promotion in 1913 ...

. The teams faced each other in three finals during this decade, with Cruz Azul winning two of them.

Birth of the Nickname

The term "Clásico Joven" (''Young Classic'') was first used on 24 May 1980, during a match between Cruz Azul and América on matchday 36 of the 1979–80 season. It was coined by sports journalist Gerardo Peña Kegel, who covered the training sessions of both teams at the time. Peña observed that both squads featured a significant number of young players, including Rafael Toribio,

Guillermo Mendizábal Guillermo Mendizábal Sánchez (born 8 October 1954) is a Mexican former footballer and manager. Club career He debuted with Cruz Azul in the 1974–75 season, and helped the team win the 1978–79 and 1979-80 league titles. In his profession ...

, Sergio Rubio, and

Adrián Camacho Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the main ...

for Cruz Azul, and

Héctor Zelada Héctor Miguel Zelada Bertoqui (born 30 April 1957) is a former Argentine football goalkeeper. He started his career at Rosario Central but he played mostly in Mexico, for Club América. He was the third-choice goalkeeper for the Argentina side ...

Mario Trejo Mario Trejo may refer to: * Mario Trejo (writer), Argentine poet, playwright, screenwriter, and journalist * Mario Trejo (footballer, born 1956) Mario Alberto Trejo Guzmán (born 11 February 1956) is a Mexican former professional footballer. H ...

, Alfredo Tena, and

Cristóbal Ortega Cristóbal Ortega Martínez (25 July 1956 – 2 January 2025) was a Mexican professional footballer who played as a midfielder for América in the Mexican Primera División from 1974 to 1992. He also played for the Mexico national team, inclu ...

for América. The nickname caught on and has since become synonymous with the rivalry.

America's revenge (1980–89)

The 1980s marked a period of league dominance for América. Not only did they claim a league title against Cruz Azul in the 1988–89 season, but they also eliminated Cruz Azul in the semifinals of the 1983–84 season and the quarterfinals of the México 1986 tournament. The decade also saw the most lopsided victory in the history of the rivalry when, in the 1981–82 season, América defeated Cruz Azul 5–0, eliminating them from any chance of reaching the playoffs, which were ultimately won by

Tigres UANL Club Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, abbreviated as Tigres UANL and simply known as Tigres or internationally as Tigres de México, is a Mexican professional Association football, football club based in the Monterrey metropo ...

. The two teams faced off in the final of the 1988–89 season, with América securing the title after a 3–2 victory in the first leg and a 2–2 draw in the second leg. The decisive goal was scored by América's homegrown player,

Carlos Hermosillo Carlos Manuel Hermosillo Goytortúa (born 24 August 1964) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is also known as ''El Grandote de Cerro Azul'' ("The big tall one from Cerro Azul"). Hermosillo is the all-ti ...

, who would later become a Cruz Azul legend by winning three individual scoring titles between 1993 and 1996. In the first leg, América built a lead with goals from

Luís Roberto Alves Luís Roberto Alves dos Santos Gavranić (born 23 May 1967) is a Mexican former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He is best known as Zague, in honor to his Zague (footballer, ...

, Carlos Hermosillo, and

Antônio Carlos Santos Antônio Carlos Santos (born 8 June 1964) is a Brazilian former footballer.Porfirio Jiménez and Narciso Cuevas by the 39th minute. In the second leg, América took an early lead with a goal from Juan Hernández, but Cruz Azul equalized the aggregate score at 4–4 with goals from

Patricio Hernández Patricio Hernández (born 16 August 1956) is an Argentina, Argentine Association football, football coach and former player. Hernández started his career in 1974 at Estudiantes de La Plata, a club that he would later manage. He soon earned a r ...

and Ricardo Mojica. In the second half, Antonio Carlos Santos set up Carlos Hermosillo, who scored to secure a 2–2 draw and América's back-to-back league title. With this victory, América claimed their eighth league title. By 1989, América capped off a golden era by winning eight league titles compared to Cruz Azul's single title during the decade, as well as dominating most head-to-head encounters between the two teams.

The Era of Liguillas (1990–99)

The 1990s were characterized by alternating dominance between the two teams, with América winning four playoff series and Cruz Azul winning three. During the 1990–91 season, the rivalry witnessed its most infamous brawl when Agustín Coss was kicked by Edu Manga near the end of a match. This incident sparked a fight that resulted in three Cruz Azul players and two América players being sent off. In the 1991–92 playoff repechage, Cruz Azul eliminated América with a commanding 4–0 victory in the first leg, featuring goals from

José Manuel de la Torre José Manuel de la Torre Menchaca (born 13 November 1965), popularly nicknamed ''Chepo'', is a Mexican former professional footballer and a manager. As a player, de la Torre played as an attacking midfielder. Playing career "Chepo" came up t ...

, and Mario Ordiales. Goalkeeper

Olaf Heredia Carlos Olaf Heredia Orozco (born 19 October 1957) is a Mexican former professional football goalkeeper who played for Mexico in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Tigres UANL and Santos Laguna. Career Born in Apatzingán, Heredia was ...

delivered an outstanding performance. América won the second leg 2–0, with goals from Luis Roberto Alves and Eduardo Córdoba, but it was not enough to overturn the deficit. The 1992–93 and 1993–94 playoffs also featured memorable encounters, with América eliminating Cruz Azul in both quarterfinals by aggregate scores of 6–4 and 3–2, respectively. However, Cruz Azul exacted revenge in the 1994–95 playoffs by defeating América 3–2 on aggregate to advance to the final, where they ultimately lost to

Necaxa Impulsora del Deportivo Necaxa S.A. de C.V. (); often simply known as Club Necaxa, is a Mexican professional Association football, football club based in Aguascalientes (city), Aguascalientes. It competes in Liga MX, the top division of Mexican ...

. In the 1995–96 playoffs, América defeated Cruz Azul 3–2 on aggregate. The first leg featured goals from

François Omam-Biyik François Omam-Biyik (born 21 May 1966) is a Cameroonian football manager and former player who works as assistant manager of Cameroon. A forward, he was one of the most important players of the Cameroon national team in the nineties, playing ...

and a double from Luis García. In the second leg,

Francisco Palencia Juan Francisco "Paco" Palencia Hernández (born 28 April 1973) is a Mexican professional football manager and former footballer. Club career Cruz Azul Palencia trained with the Cruz Azul youth system at age 13 and made his debut in the Primer ...

and Hermosillo gave Cruz Azul a 2–0 lead, but they were unable to score the additional goal needed to advance. One of the match's defining moments was a missed opportunity by

Kalusha Bwalya Kalusha Bwalya (born 16 August 1963) is a Zambian former professional footballer. He is Zambia's eighth-most capped player and third on the list of all-time top goalscorers behind Godfrey Chitalu and Alex Chola. Kalusha was named African Foot ...

, who hit the post with an open goal, allowing goalkeeper Norberto Scoponi to recover the ball. This was the last long-tournament match between the two teams. In the Verano 1998 tournament, the teams clashed again in the playoffs, with América winning the series thanks to goals by

Raúl Lara Raúl Rodrigo Lara Tovar (born 28 February 1973) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and manager. He is the current assistant manager of Liga MX club América. Career Lara was a member of the Mexico national ...

and

Sergio Zárate Sergio Fabián Zárate Riga (born 14 October 1969) was an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his career in the Bundesliga and the Primera División de México apart from his native Argentina. ...

. After this match, América did not defeat Cruz Azul at the

Estadio Azteca Estadio Azteca () (officially known as Estadio Banorte for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium located in Coyoacán, Mexico City. It is the official home of football team Club América, as well as the Mexico national team. The stadium ...

in seven regular-season games until the Apertura 2004 tournament. Cruz Azul's revenge came in the Invierno 1999 playoffs, when they won 2–1 at the ''Azteca'', with a header from Argentine

Diego Latorre Diego Fernando Latorre (born 4 August 1969) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a striker or as an offensive midfielder. Career Latorre was born in Buenos Aires. He made his professional debut for Boca Juniors on 18 Oc ...

, eliminating América and propelling Cruz Azul to the finals.

The Americanista streak (2004–10)

Cruz Azul experienced a seven-game unbeaten streak at the

that ended in 2004 with a 2–1 loss to América, sealed by a last-minute goal from

Álvaro Ortiz Álvaro Ortiz may refer to: * Álvaro Ortiz (footballer) * Álvaro Ortiz (golfer) Álvaro Ortiz Becerra (born 25 November 1995) is a Mexican professional golfer. Early life Ortiz was born in Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He played ...

. From 2003 onwards, Cruz Azul endured a seven-year stretch without defeating América in 16 consecutive official matches, whether at the

Estadio Azul Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes (English: Sports City Stadium) is a 34,253-seat multi-purpose stadium located in Ciudad de los Deportes, Mexico City. The facility is used for association football matches and for American football as well. The Ta ...

or the Estadio Azteca. This included seven consecutive losses to América between 2004 and 2006, marking the longest undefeated streak in the history of the Clásico Joven. In the Clausura 2005 playoffs, América defeated Cruz Azul in the semifinals with a dominant 6–2 aggregate score. The first leg featured two goals by

Cuauhtémoc Blanco Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo (; born 17 January 1973) is a Mexican politician and former professional footballer serving as a member of the Chamber of Deputies. He served as the Governor of Morelos from 2018 to 2024 under the coalition ''Juntos H ...

and one by Claudio López, while

Francisco Fonseca José Francisco "Kikin" Fonseca Guzmán (born 2 October 1979) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a striker. He currently works as a football analyst for Televisa Deportes Network. Club career Born in León, Guanajuato ...

scored for Cruz Azul. In the second leg, América extended their lead with goals from Aarón Padilla, Francisco Torres, and Claudio López, while

César Delgado César Fabián Delgado Godoy (born 18 August 1981) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a winger. He also played as a central midfielder, making piercing forward runs through the center of the opposition's defence. His ...

scored Cruz Azul's lone goal. América advanced to the final, where they defeated

Tecos UAG Tecos Fútbol Club, simply known as Tecos, is a Mexican professional Association football, football club based in Zapopan, Jalisco, and associated with the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG). It competes in Liga Premier de México, Liga ...

to claim their 10th league title. The only match Cruz Azul won during this streak was a friendly played on 19 July 2008, in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. Cruz Azul secured a 2–1 victory with a brace from Uruguayan Nicolás Vigneri, while América's goal came from Argentine-born naturalized Mexican

Alfredo Moreno Alfredo David Moreno (12 January 1980 – 8 December 2021) was an Argentine footballer who played as a forward. Club career Moreno began his career with Boca Juniors, making his debut for the team September 26, 1999. He had a brief but succe ...

The rivalry intensifies (2011–13)

On 3 October 2010, Cruz Azul defeated América 1–0 at the

, ending América's seven-year, 16-game unbeaten streak against them. The winning goal was scored by Argentine Christian Giménez, who celebrated by mimicking the flight of an eagle, parodying América's mascot. This victory was Cruz Azul's first win in the Clásico Joven at the Estadio Azul since the Verano 2002 tournament, when they defeated América 2–0 with goals from

and

Sebastián Abreu Washington Sebastián Abreu Gallo (; born 17 October 1976), nicknamed ''El Loco'' (The Madman), is a Uruguayan football manager and former footballer who played as a striker. He is the head coach of Mexican club Tijuana. Abreu is best known f ...

. The win ended an eight-year drought in home matches against América. On 13 March 2011, Cruz Azul defeated América 2–0 at the

, with both goals scored by

Emanuel Villa Emanuel Alejandro Villa (born 24 February 1982), commonly known as "Tito Villa", is an Argentine former professional footballer. He is a Mexican naturalized citizen. He previously played for Huracán, Atlético Rafaela and Rosario Central in Ar ...

. This victory ended another streak for América, as Cruz Azul had not beaten them at the ''Azteca'' since the Apertura 2003 tournament. Cruz Azul's last victory at the ''Azteca'' had been on 4 May 2003, with a 3–1 win. Goals for Cruz Azul came from

(two) and

Juan Carlos Cacho Juan Carlos Cacho Gutiérrez (born 3 May 1982) is a Mexican former professional footballer and current manager of Liga MX Femenil club Pachuca. Club career Juan Carlos Cacho Gutiérrez is a product of the youth system of Cruz Azul. He started ...

, while América's lone goal was scored by Uruguayan

Marcelo Lipatín Marcelo Lipatín López (born January 28, 1977) is a Uruguayan professional football (soccer) player. Playing career In July 2008, Lipatin was offered a contract from Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C., Maccabi Tel Aviv after they discovered that Lipatin's ...

. On 6 November 2011, Cruz Azul defeated América 3–1 in the Apertura 2011 tournament, pushing América to second-to-last place in the standings. However, in the Clausura 2013 tournament, América responded with a resounding 3–0 victory, led by a hat-trick from

Christian Benítez Christian Rogelio Benítez Betancourt (1 May 1986 – 29 July 2013), also known as Chucho, was an Ecuadorian professional association football, footballer who played as a striker (association football), striker. He began his career with Club De ...

. One month later, in the

Clausura 2013 Copa MX The Copa 2013 MX Clausura was the 69th staging of the Copa MX, the 42nd staging in the professional era and is the second tournament played since the 1996–97 edition. This tournament started on January 15, 2013, and concluded on April 10, 2013 ...

, Cruz Azul eliminated América in the semifinals via a

penalty shoot-out The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...

and went on to win the tournament.

The Clausura 2013 final

The Clausura 2013 tournament culminated in a final between Cruz Azul and América. Cruz Azul entered the final seeking their first league title in 15 years, while América had gone eight years without lifting the championship. The first leg, held on 23 May 2013, at the

, ended in a 1–0 victory for Cruz Azul, with the goal scored by Christian Giménez. The decisive second leg took place on 26 May 2013, at the

in what would become one of the most memorable matches in Mexican league history. This match recorded the highest television ratings for a

Liga MX Liga MX, also known as Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Mexico and the highest level of the Mexican football league system. Formerly known as Liga Mayor (1943–1949) and also as Primera Divis ...

final. Early in the match, América was reduced to ten players after

Jesús Molina Jesús Antonio Molina Granados (born 29 March 1988) is a Mexican former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Midfielder#Defensive midfielder, defensive midfielder. Club career UANL Jesús Molina debuted with Tigres UANL ...

was sent off in the 14th minute. Six minutes later,

Teófilo Gutiérrez Teófilo Antonio "Teo" Gutiérrez Roncancio (; born 17 May 1985) is a Colombian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for Atlético Junior . He was a Colombia national football team ...

scored for Cruz Azul, giving them a 1–0 lead in the match and a 2–0 advantage on aggregate. Gutiérrez had another crucial opportunity in the 73rd minute to seal the victory, but his shot hit the post from close range with the goalkeeper out of position. With Cruz Azul seemingly on the brink of victory—so much so that their name had begun to be inscribed on the championship trophy—América launched a dramatic comeback. In the 88th minute,

Aquivaldo Mosquera Aquivaldo Mosquera Romaña (born 22 June 1981) is a Colombian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He also holds Mexican citizenship. Club career Mosquera made his debut in 2000 playing for Atlético Nacional. He would ma ...

headed in a goal to reduce the aggregate deficit to 2–1. In stoppage time (92nd minute), América’s goalkeeper

Moisés Muñoz Moisés Alberto Muñoz Rodríguez (born 1 February 1980) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Muñoz began his career in 1999 with Monarcas Morelia, playing in over 200 matches for the club, before eventually ...

came forward for a corner kick and scored a header, deflected into the net by Cruz Azul's Alejandro Castro, to tie the aggregate score at 2–2 and force extra time. The additional 30 minutes failed to produce a winner, and the championship was decided via

. In the shootout, Cruz Azul's Javier Orozco had his penalty saved by Muñoz, while América’s

Raúl Jiménez Raúl Alonso Jiménez Rodríguez (; born 5 May 1991) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Fulham and the Mexico national team. Jiménez began his career in Club América's youth system before debuting in the ...

scored the first penalty. Alejandro Castro slipped during his attempt, sending the ball over the bar, and

converted to extend América's lead.

Rogelio Chávez Rogelio Alfredo Chávez Martínez (born 28 October 1984) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a right back. He was awarded a Balón de Oro of best side defender while playing for Cruz Azul in the Clausura 2009. Career On ...

then scored for Cruz Azul, but Osvaldo Martínez restored América's advantage. Gerardo Flores scored Cruz Azul's second penalty, but

Miguel Layún Miguel Arturo Layún Prado (born 25 June 1988) is a Mexican former professional association football, footballer who played as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, right-back. Layún began his professional career in 2006 with Gallos Ca ...

sealed the victory for América, converting the decisive penalty and securing América's 11th league title.

Recent Era (2014–Present)

In the Apertura 2014 tournament, Cruz Azul defeated América 4–0, marking the third time in history that Cruz Azul achieved this scoreline against their rivals. However, following this match, Cruz Azul entered a winless streak against América that spanned 16 consecutive matches. This included their elimination in the quarterfinals of the Apertura 2017, where both legs ended in 0–0 draws, with América advancing due to their higher position in the league table. Cruz Azul was also eliminated by América in the

Copa MX Copa MX, also known as Copa Corona MX for sponsorship reasons, was an association football competition in Mexico and the domestic cup tournament for clubs at the highest and second levels of Mexican football league system. Formerly known as Copa ...

of the same year. América's dominance ended during the second leg of the Clausura 2019 quarterfinals, when Cruz Azul secured a 1–0 victory thanks to a goal by Uruguayan forward Jonathan Rodríguez. Despite this win, it was not enough for Cruz Azul to overturn the aggregate score, as América had won the first leg 3–1, with an own goal by Igor Lichnovsky and two goals from

Roger Martínez Roger Beyker Martínez Tobinson (; born 23 June 1994) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a winger or forward for Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun and the Colombia national team. Club career Early career He began playing on ...

Milton Caraglio Milton Joel Caraglio Pérez (born 1 December 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for Central Córdoba. Club career Rosario Central Caraglio started his football career at Rosario Central youth, being promoted ...

had scored Cruz Azul's lone goal in the first leg through a

penalty Penalty, The Penalty, Penalization, Penalisation, Penalize or Penalise may refer to: Sports * Foul (sports) ** Penalty (golf) ** Penalty (gridiron football) ** Penalty (ice hockey) ** Penalty (rugby) ** Penalty (rugby union) ** Penalty kick (assoc ...

The Fourth Final: Apertura 2018

Cruz Azul and América faced each other in yet another final, offering the possibility of a ''celeste'' revenge. Heading into the match, Cruz Azul had the opportunity to equal América with two finals won apiece. Adding intrigue to the encounter,

Ricardo Peláez Ricardo Peláez Linares (born 14 March 1963) is a Mexican former professional footballer who currently works for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Mexico as an analyst. Peláez began his professional career with Club América, subsequently transferring ...

, who had previously served as América's sporting president, was now working with Cruz Azul. Additionally, Cruz Azul's roster included four former América players—

Adrián Aldrete Adrián Alexei Aldrete Rodríguez (born 14 June 1988) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a left-back. Club career Morelia Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Aldrete began his football career with Monarcas Morelia as a defen ...

, Pablo Aguilar, Martín Zúñiga, and

José Madueña José Antonio Madueña López (born 29 May 1990) is a Mexican professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, right-back. Biography Born in Mexicali, Baja California, Madueña began his ca ...

—all of whom had won titles with América. Further fueling the rivalry, Cruz Azul had returned to the

as their home venue for the tournament, which sparked controversy and dissatisfaction among América supporters. Cruz Azul and América entered the final as the top two seeds in the league standings, with Cruz Azul boasting the best defensive record of the tournament and América having the strongest offense. Similar to the 2013 final, Cruz Azul was pursuing the domestic double, having already won the

Apertura 2018 Copa MX The Apertura 2018 Copa MX was the 80th staging of the Copa MX, the 52nd staging in the professional era and is the thirteenth tournament played since the 1996–97 Copa Mexico, 1996–97 edition. The tournament started on 24 July 2018 and ended o ...

. The first leg ended in a goalless draw, with few notable moments apart from a post-match scuffle between América goalkeeper Agustín Marchesín and Cruz Azul's fitness coach. In the second leg,

Edson Álvarez Edson Omar Álvarez Velázquez (; born 24 October 1997) is a Mexican professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder#Defensive midfielder, defensive midfielder for club West Ham United F.C., West Ham United and Captain ...

broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, capitalizing on an error by

Iván Marcone Iván José Marcone (born 3 June 1990) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Independiente. Club career Arsenal de Sarandí Born in Sarandí, Marcone was an Arsenal de Sarandí youth graduate. He made h ...

after a ball was intercepted by

Oribe Peralta Oribe Peralta Morones (born 12 January 1984) is a Mexican former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He is an Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament, Olympic ...

. Álvarez scored again in the 89th minute on a counterattack, securing América's 13th league title.

Cruz Azul's biggest victory (Apertura 2019)

On 5 October 2019, Cruz Azul and América met once again during matchday 13 of the Apertura 2019 at the

, with Cruz Azul as the designated home team. In the 15th minute, Cruz Azul opened the scoring with a header by

Julio César Domínguez Julio César Domínguez Juárez (born 8 November 1987), sometimes known as Cata, is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Liga MX club Atlético San Luis. Domínguez spent the majority of his career with Cruz Azul, wh ...

off a corner kick from the left. Domínguez outjumped Bruno Valdez and sent the ball past goalkeeper

Guillermo Ochoa Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña (; born 13 July 1985), commonly known as "Memo Ochoa", is a Mexican professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for Primeira Liga club AVS Futebol ...

. América equalized in the 36th minute when

Guido Rodríguez Guido Rodríguez (born 12 April 1994) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club West Ham United and the Argentina national team. Club career River Plate Rodríguez began his career wi ...

unleashed a long-range strike that Jesús Corona could not stop. Three minutes later,

Henry Martín Henry Josué Martín Mex (born 18 November 1992) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga MX club América, whom he captains, and the Mexico national team. Club career Early career Martín initiated his career ...

capitalized on a bouncing ball that went over Pablo Aguilar and scored with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box, putting América ahead 2–1 by halftime. The second half saw a dramatic turnaround for Cruz Azul. In the 51st minute, América's

was sent off for an elbow to

Rafael Baca Rafael Baca Miranda (born 11 September 1989) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship. His past clubs include San Jose Earthquakes, Cruz Azul, and Monterey Bay FC. Care ...

. Two minutes later, in the 53rd minute, Pablo Aguilar scored a header off a corner kick, leveling the match at 2–2. Just five minutes later, Cruz Azul took the lead with a set-piece goal.

Roberto Alvarado Roberto Carlos Alvarado Hernández (born 7 September 1998) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Guadalajara and the Mexico national team. Alvarado made his professional debut with Celaya at the age of ...

headed in a cross at the far post to make it 3–2 in the 58th minute. In the 61st minute, Cruz Azul added a fourth goal. A long clearance by Corona found

Orbelín Pineda Orbelín Pineda Alvarado (born 24 March 1996) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Greek Super League club AEK Athens and the Mexico national team. Club career Querétaro Pineda was first called up to the Querét ...

, who dribbled past two América defenders and scored with a precise left-footed strike. Cruz Azul sealed the victory in the 74th minute when Jonathan Rodríguez scored after an impressive solo run, chipping the ball past Ochoa for the fifth goal. This 5–2 victory marked the first time Cruz Azul scored five goals against América, making it their most significant result in the history of the Clásico Joven. It occurred five years after their 4–0 win in the Apertura 2014.

América's biggest victory (Apertura 2022)

On 20 August 2022, Cruz Azul and América faced off again during matchday 10 of the Apertura 2022 at the

, with América as the home team. The two teams arrived in vastly different circumstances: América, under the management of Fernando Ortiz, was fighting to secure a direct playoff spot after a rocky start to the tournament. In contrast, Cruz Azul, now led by

Diego Aguirre Diego Vicente Aguirre Camblor (born 13 September 1965) is a Uruguayan football manager and former player who played as a forward. He currently manages Peñarol on the Uruguayan Primera División. Playing career A Liverpool Montevideo youth ...

, had lost many key players who contributed to their historic ninth title and was struggling at the bottom of the standings, outside playoff contention. In the first half, América initially faced difficulty breaking through Cruz Azul's defense. However, in the 14th minute, Richard Sánchez scored the opening goal with a long-range strike after a pass from

Álvaro Fidalgo Álvaro Fidalgo Fernández (born 9 April 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga MX club América. Club career Real Madrid Born in Hevia, Siero, Asturias, Fidalgo joined Real Madrid's La Fábrica in 2012, ...

. Eight minutes later,

took advantage of a defensive lapse by

Ramiro Funes Mori José Ramiro Funes Mori (; born 5 March 1991) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a defender for Argentine Primera División club Estudiantes. He plays primarily as a centre-back but can also operate as a left-back and defens ...

and set up Jonathan Rodríguez to double the lead. Cruz Azul attempted to respond in the 44th minute when

Carlos Rotondi Carlos Rodolfo Rotondi (born 2 March 1997) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Cruz Azul. Career Newell’s Old Boys Rotondi began his career with Newell's Old Boys, signing in 2015. He made his senior ...

appeared to reduce the deficit to 2–1. However, following a VAR review, referee

Luis Enrique Santander Luis Enrique Santander Aguirre (born 24 January 1983) is a Mexican professional football referee. He has been a full international for FIFA since 2015. Career Refereeing since 2004, Santander made his official debut on 10 September 2006 in a ma ...

disallowed the goal due to a prior foul on América's Emilio Lara. Before halftime, VAR intervened again, leading to the expulsion of

for a hard foul on Henry Martín. On the resulting free kick, Diego Valdés scored to give América a 3–0 lead. The second half offered no respite for Cruz Azul. Substitutions by Ángel Romero and Michael Estrada for Carlos Rodríguez and Gonzalo Carneiro failed to improve their performance. In the 53rd minute, Henry Martín scored his second goal to make it 4–0. The situation worsened for Cruz Azul as América scored three more goals in the closing stages. Álvaro Fidalgo,

Federico Viñas Federico Sebastián Viñas Barboza (born 30 June 1998) is a Uruguayan professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for Club León, León and the Uruguay national football team, Uruguay nat ...

, and Salvador Reyes, the latter two coming off the bench, scored in the 73rd, 85th, and 90th minutes, respectively, to complete a historic 7–0 victory. This result solidified América's playoff ambitions while marking the worst defeat in the history of the rivalry and for Cruz Azul as a club. The loss prompted immediate changes within Cruz Azul, including the dismissal of Diego Aguirre as head coach just hours after the match.

Recent Encounters (2025)

The two clubs met in the quarter-finals of the

2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup The 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup was the 60th season of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the premier club association football tournament for North, Central America, and the Caribbean's organized by CONCACAF. It was a five-round knockout tournament, w ...

, marking the first time they had faced each other in the history of the competition. The first-leg ended in a 0–0 draw at the

Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes (English: Sports City Stadium) is a 34,253-seat multi-purpose stadium located in Ciudad de los Deportes, Mexico City. The facility is used for association football matches and for American football as well. The Taz ...

. In the second-leg, held at the

Estadio Olímpico Universitario University Olympic Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium located inside Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Ciudad Universitaria in Mexico City. It was built in 1952 and at that time was the largest stadium in Mexico. This stadium has a capacity ...

, Cruz Azul secured a 2–1 victory, with both goals scored by

Ángel Sepúlveda Ángel Baltazar Sepúlveda Sánchez (born 15 February 1991) is a Mexican professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for Liga MX club Cruz Azul and the Mexico national football team, Mexic ...

, to eliminate América and advance to the semi-finals. Weeks later, they faced each other again in the Clausura 2025 semi-finals. Cruz Azul won the first-leg 1–0 with a goal from captain Ignacio Rivero. América won the second-leg 2–1, with goals from captain

and Cristian Borja. With the aggregate score level at 2–2, América advanced to the final based on their higher placement in the regular season standings.

Players who played on both sides

Several players have represented both América and Cruz Azul over the years. A smaller group has achieved titles with both teams. ''Players in bold won at least one official title (e.g., Liga MX, Copa MX, or an international tournament) with both clubs.'' * *

Javier Sánchez Galindo Javier may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Javier, in video game '' Advance Wars: Dual Strike'' * Javier Rios, a character in the Monsters, Inc. franchise. * ''Javier'' (album), a 2003 album by the American singer Javier Colon, known a ...

* Sergio Ceballos * Francisco Macedo * Silvio Fogel *

Alberto Macías Alberto Macías Hernández (born 28 December 1969) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a defender. A tall center back nicknamed "El Flaco," Macías spent most of his career at Toluca after breaking into the team in 1991.M ...

* Nicolás Ramírez * Cesareo Victorino *

* Miguel Ángel Cornero * Ruben Omar Romano * Hector Tapia * * * Luis Hernández *

Pedro Pineda Pedro Pineda (born 30 November 1971) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a forward. He was a member of the Mexico national team competing at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Born and raised in Nezahualcóy ...

* Arturo Álvarez *

Adrian Chavez Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the main ...

Miguel Zepeda Miguel Ángel Zepeda Espinoza (born 25 May 1976) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Career Zepeda made his professional debut on November 13, 1996, in 2–2 draw against Chivas. He has played most of hi ...

* Edoardo Isella * Sebastian Abreu * Richard Núñez * Christian Giménez * Alfonso Blanco *

Francisco Javier Rodríguez Francisco Javier Rodríguez Pinedo (; born 20 October 1981), commonly known by the nickname Maza is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Club career Guadalajara Rodríguez was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, whic ...

* Vicente Matías Vuoso *

* Pablo Aguilar *

Jordan Silva Jordan Jesús Silva Díaz (born 30 August 1994) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Super League Greece club OFI. Club career Toluca On 13 April 2014, Silva made his professional debut against Club León. Tijuan ...

* Alonso Escoboza * Jonathan Rodríguez * Igor Lichnovsky * Jorge Sánchez

Notable Meetups

* 1972 Primera División Final *

* 1989 Primera División Finals * 2013 Clausura Finals * 2018 Apertura Finals * 2024 Clausura Finals * 2024 Apertura Semi-finals * 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarter-finals * 2025 Clausura Semi-finals

Statistics

Head-to-head

This table takes into account all disputed classic tournaments that have been endorsed by the

Mexican Football Federation The Mexican Football Federation (), abbreviated as FMF is the official governing body of football in Mexico. It administers the men's and women's national teams with all its youth teams, the national teams of futsal and beach soccer, Liga MX wit ...

CONCACAF The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, abbreviated as CONCACAF ( ; typeset for branding purposes since 2018 as Concacaf), is one of FIFA's six continental governing bodies for association football. Its 4 ...

CONMEBOL CONMEBOL ( ) or CSF (; ; ), is the continental governing body of football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations. The oldest continental confederation in the world, its headquarters are located in Luque, Parag ...

, or any other tournaments and friendlies.

All-time results

América in the league at home

Cruz Azul in the league at home

Total league head-to-head

Liguilla matches

Total liguilla head-to-head

Copa MX

Campeón de Campeones

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Pre Pre Libertadores

InterLiga

Results in friendly matches

References

External links

Clásico Joven
by Erik Francisco Lugo at the RSSSF
América's official website

Cruz Azul's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clásico Joven Football rivalries in Mexico Club América Cruz Azul