In Mexico, clinching the league title after the regular season has ended proves challenging, even if a team finishes first. Here is a look at which squads have managed to lift the trophy as the outright leaders and which have bucked the odds in the final phase.
The Liga MX season is unique because of the Liguilla format, which often prevents the top team from being crowned champion. That reality is sometimes called a curse for leading teams, even though finishing strong provides significant momentum in the playoff rounds, where teams that barely scraped into the finals have sometimes claimed glory.
During Guardians 2021, Cruz Azul demonstrated that the league leader can also shine in the big party. The Machine delivered a near-perfect regular season, winning 13 of 16 matches, thrilling fans, and ultimately capturing the title that had eluded them for years.
Under Juan Reynoso, they faced internal pressure and public debate, yet they prevailed as champions—confirming the power of a season-long push toward the Liguilla crown.
In Clausura 2023, Rayados de Monterrey led the table, but the tradition persisted: the leaders sometimes failed to advance to the final, as Tigres emerged from the semi-finals to reach the championship match.
Across 76 seasons played in the competition, leaders have claimed the title 22 times, spread across 11 clubs. That amounts to nearly 30 percent of seasons where the top seed finally stood as champion. The following list highlights teams that managed to break the front-runner curse.
CORINTHIA AZUL
La Máquina performed exceptionally in Guardians 2021. After finishing atop the overall table, Juan Reynoso’s squad won the Liguilla and defeated Santos 2-1 in the final.
LEÓN
La Fiera stood out as one of the strongest teams of the period, claiming the Guardians 2020 title with a flawless run and beating UNAM in the final. It marked the eighth championship for León under manager Ignacio Ambriz.
AMÉRICA
Americanos are the team that has broken the curse most often, achieving the feat five times. They also sealed a title in the opening phase of 2014, with earlier championships in 1970-71, 1975-76, 1983-84, and 1987-88. In 2021, they aimed to repeat that success after finishing top in Clausura 2021 with the hope of avoiding the curse that had blocked them previously.
Cruz Azul
La Máquina captured the curse-breaker moment four times during their golden era, becoming the only Liga MX side to win in three consecutive seasons: 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, and again in 1978-79.
TOLUCA
Since the adoption of the short-season system, Toluca have broken the curse more than any other side, three times. They were the first to win the league title after finishing first in the table under this format, in Summer 1998, followed by Summer 1999 and Summer 2000.
PACHUCA
With a peak generation, the Tuzos have pulled off the feat a few times, notably in late 2006 and late 2007.
COUGARS
The Auriazules have confirmed their leadership with a league title on two occasions, both in long-tournament eras: 1976-77 and 1990-91.
MONTERREY
Monterrey secured their first league crown in the 1986 season, cementing their status as the league’s strongest team that year.
CHIVAS
After a glorious era, Chivas lifted the trophy for the first time under the current league system in 1986-87, the same season they finished as the top seed.
TECOS
The team now playing in the Premier League (the third tier) captured its sole Liga MX title in the 1993-1994 season, the same year they defeated the top seed’s curse.
SAINTS
The Warriors earned their fourth star at the end of 2012, the same season they led Liga MX in the overall standings.
Which team will win the Clausura 2023 Liga MX?
- Monterrey
- America
- Chivas
- Toluca
- Tigers
- Other
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Which team will win the Clausura 2023 Liga MX?
- 19%Monterrey
- 35%America
- 24%Chivas
- 3%Toluca
- 12%Tigres
- 7%Other
To vote
Source: Goal