Editing Cruz Azul (section)

=== 1981–1997: First major drought and struggles ===
[[File: Cruz azul.jpg|thumb|Cruz Azul's [[1993–94 Mexican Primera División season|1993–94 season]] squad.]]
Throughout the 1980s, Cruz Azul consistently qualified for the league playoffs but did not win another league championship, beginning a 17-year title drought despite continued investment and a strong squad. In 1988, [[Billy Álvarez|Guillermo Héctor Álvarez Cuevas]], the son of the late Guillermo Álvarez Macías, became general manager of [[Cooperativa La Cruz Azul, S.C.L.|Cooperativa La Cruz Azul]] and president of the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/universal-deportes/futbol/guillermo-alvarez-cuevas-y-su-gestion-en-cruz-azul|title = Guillermo Álvarez Cuevas y su gestión en Cruz Azul|date = August 2020}}</ref> Under his leadership, Cruz Azul pursued high-profile signings, including striker [[Carlos Hermosillo]], who had come through [[Club América|América]]’s youth system and played for the senior team earlier in his career before joining Cruz Azul in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/news/hermosillo-alongside-tri-best-1210013|title=Welcome to FIFA.com News - Hermosillo alongside El Tri's best |date=June 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609055027/https://www.fifa.com/news/hermosillo-alongside-tri-best-1210013 |archive-date=2021-06-09 }}</ref> Initially met with skepticism, Hermosillo became a leading figure in the team, finishing as the league's top scorer in three consecutive seasons: [[1993–94 Mexican Primera División season|1993–94]] (27 goals), [[1994–95 Mexican Primera División season|1994–95]] (35 goals), and [[1995–96 Mexican Primera División season|1995–96]] (26 goals).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Soccer-Star-Carlos-Hermosillo-Joins-DEPORTES-TELEMUNDO-20140306|title=Soccer Star Carlos Hermosillo Joins DEPORTES TELEMUNDO|access-date=2021-06-09|archive-date=2021-06-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609055028/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Soccer-Star-Carlos-Hermosillo-Joins-DEPORTES-TELEMUNDO-20140306|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[1994–95 Mexican Primera División season|1994–95 season]], the club finished third in the league's overall standings and reached their first league final in six years, where they were defeated 3–1 on aggregate by [[Club Necaxa|Necaxa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/mex95.html|title=Mexico 1994/95|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=2023-02-02|archive-date=2022-07-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717065402/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/mex95.html|url-status=live}}</ref>