Editing Cruz Azul (section)

====2008–2013: Series of runner-ups and last-minute losses====
Between 2008 and 2013, Cruz Azul was regularly considered a title contender due to its financial resources and competitive squads. However, during this period, the club reached multiple domestic and international finals without securing a major title.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |date=30 May 2021 |title=La "maldición" del equipo de fútbol mexicano Cruz Azul |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2021/05/30/futbol-maldicion-del-cruz-azul-explicada-orix/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183601/https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2021/05/30/futbol-maldicion-del-cruz-azul-explicada-orix/ |archive-date=9 July 2021 |access-date=8 July 2021 |website=CNN |language=es}}</ref> Several of these losses involved late equalizers or narrow margins, leading to media and fan narratives about the club's inability to close matches. The term '''''cruzazulear'''''—meaning to lose a match despite having a clear advantage—gained traction around 2013 and was formally recognized by the [[Royal Spanish Academy]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Tom |title=Think your team is bad? Cruz Azul's name has literally come to define failure, as a verb and in song |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-the-toe-poke/story/4266769/think-your-team-is-bad-cruz-azuls-name-has-literally-come-to-define-failureas-a-verb-and-in-song |website=ESPN |date=29 December 2020 |access-date=24 July 2021 |archive-date=24 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924004326/https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-the-toe-poke/story/4266769/think-your-team-is-bad-cruz-azuls-name-has-literally-come-to-define-failureas-a-verb-and-in-song |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Luis E. |first1=Morales |title=Cruzazulear, según la Real Academia Española |url=https://teayudoacomprar.com/cruzazulear-segun-la-real-academia-espanola/ |website=Te ayudo a comprar |date=28 April 2020 |access-date=24 July 2021 |archive-date=24 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724014042/https://teayudoacomprar.com/cruzazulear-segun-la-real-academia-espanola/ |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rae.es/observatorio-de-palabras/cruzazulear|title=Cruzazulear|access-date=2021-07-24|archive-date=2021-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728105502/https://www.rae.es/observatorio-de-palabras/cruzazulear|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[Primera División de México Clausura 2008|Clausura 2008 season]], Cruz Azul finished second in the regular season and advanced to the [[Primera División de México Clausura 2008#Finals|final]], where they lost 3–2 on aggregate to [[Santos Laguna]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 June 2008 |title=Santos vs. Cruz Azul - Football Match Summary |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/241494 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |archive-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904191149/https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/241494 |url-status=live }}</ref> The following tournament, [[Primera División de México Apertura 2008|Apertura 2008]], saw the club reach another final after defeating [[Club Universidad Nacional|Pumas UNAM]] and [[Atlante F.C.|Atlante]] in the playoffs. In the final against [[Deportivo Toluca F.C.|Toluca]], Cruz Azul lost the first-leg 2–0 but leveled the aggregate with a 2–0 win in the return leg. The match went to penalties, with Toluca winning the shootout 7–6.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 December 2008 |title=Tras dramáticos penales ¡Toluca Campeón del A2008! |url=https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/liga-mx/tras-dramaticos-penales-toluca-campeon-del-a2008 |access-date= |website=Mediotiempo |language=es-MX |archive-date=4 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904191150/https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/liga-mx/tras-dramaticos-penales-toluca-campeon-del-a2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{football squad on pitch|align=left|clear=none
| GK = '''[[Alfonso Blanco (footballer)|Blanco]]'''
| RB = '''[[Carlos Bonet|Bonet]]'''
| RCB = '''[[Joaquín Beltrán|Beltrán (c)]]'''
| LCB = '''[[Ronald Raldes|Raldes]]'''
| LB = '''[[Fausto Pinto|Pinto]]'''
| DM = '''[[Gabino Velasco|Velasco]]'''
| RCM = '''[[César Villaluz|Villaluz]]'''
| LCM = '''[[Alejandro Vela|Vela]]'''
| AM = '''[[Édgar Andrade|Andrade]]'''
| RCF = '''[[Luis Ángel Landín|Landín]]'''
| CF  = '''[[Pablo Zeballos|Zeballos]]'''
| caption = [[2009 CONCACAF Champions League final]] first-leg starting lineup
}}
Cruz Azul's participation in the [[2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League]] ended in the [[2009 CONCACAF Champions League final|final]], where they lost 2–0 on aggregate to Atlante. En route to the final, they had eliminated Pumas UNAM and [[Puerto Rico Islanders]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=12 May 2009 |title=Sella Atlante clasificación al Mundial de Clubes, elimina a Cruz Azul |url=https://wradio.com.mx/radio/2009/05/12/deportes/1242187440_810890.html |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=W Radio México |language=es-mx |archive-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904191149/https://wradio.com.mx/radio/2009/05/12/deportes/1242187440_810890.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[Primera División de México Clausura 2009|Clausura 2009 tournament]], the club finished last in the league, recording only 13 points in 17 matches. Manager [[Benjamín Galindo]] was dismissed near the end of the season and was replaced by [[Robert Siboldi|Robert Dante Siboldi]] on an interim basis.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 May 2009 |title=Cruz Azul names ex-keeper Siboldi new coach |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2009/05/06/cruz-azul?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=SI}}</ref>

For the [[2009–10 Mexican Primera División season#Torneo Apertura|Apertura 2009]], Cruz Azul appointed [[Enrique Meza]] as head coach and reinforced the squad with key signings, including goalkeeper [[José de Jesús Corona]] and striker [[Emanuel Villa]]. The team finished second in the regular season and reached the final after playoff wins over [[Club Puebla|Puebla]] and [[Atlético Morelia|Morelia]]. Despite Villa finishing as the league's top scorer with 17 goals, Cruz Azul lost the [[Primera División de México Apertura 2009 Liguilla Final|final]] to [[C.F. Monterrey|Monterrey]] 6–4 on aggregate, marking their third league final defeat in less than two years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 December 2009 |title=Monterrey conquista tercera corona en México |language=es |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/deportes-futbol-mexico-final-idLTASIE5BD01C20091214 |access-date=2022-09-04 |archive-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904191149/https://www.reuters.com/article/deportes-futbol-mexico-final-idLTASIE5BD01C20091214 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=14 December 2009 |title=Monterrey win Mexican championship |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/monterrey-win-mexican-championship |access-date= |website=fourfourtwo.com |language=en |archive-date=4 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904191151/https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/monterrey-win-mexican-championship |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Cruzazul-vsherediano.jpg|right|thumb|Cruz Azul against [[C.S. Herediano|Herediano]] in the [[2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League]].]]
In the [[2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League]], Cruz Azul finished first in Group C and advanced to the knockout stage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bueno |first=Luis |date=23 October 2009 |title=Our Champions League grows up |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2009/10/23/concacaf-champions?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=SI}}</ref> The team defeated [[C.D. Árabe Unido|Árabe Unido]] 4–0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and overcame [[Club Universidad Nacional|Pumas UNAM]] in the semi-finals, losing the first-leg 1–0 but winning the return leg 5–1 at [[Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes|Estadio Azul]]. In the final against [[C.F. Pachuca|Pachuca]], Cruz Azul won the first-leg 2–1 at home but lost the second-leg 1–0, conceding a goal in stoppage time. With the aggregate tied 2–2, Pachuca was awarded the championship based on the away goals rule, denying Cruz Azul a place in the [[2010 FIFA Club World Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 April 2010 |title=Concacaf Champions League 2009/10: Pachuca campeón |url=https://arogeraldes.blogspot.com/2009/08/concacaf-champions-league-200910.html |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=Aro Geraldes |language=es}}</ref>

In April 2012, the club officially changed its name from '''Club Deportivo, Social y Cultural Cruz Azul, A.C.''' to '''Cruz Azul Fútbol Club, A.C.'''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cruz Azul cambia de nombre |url=https://www.espn.com.ar/noticias/nota?s=mex&id=1500688&type=story |publisher=espn.com.ar |date=10 April 2012 |access-date=2025-04-28|language=es }}</ref>

During the Clausura 2013 season, Cruz Azul initially struggled in league play but gained momentum after defeating [[Club América|América]] in the [[Clausura 2013 Copa MX|Copa MX]] semi-finals and later winning the tournament by defeating [[Atlante F.C.|Atlante]] in the final.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 October 2018 |title=Cruz Azul campeón de Copa MX en 2013: el título previo a la 'Cruzazuleada' en Liga MX |url=https://www.tudn.com/futbol/copa-mx/cruz-azul-campeon-de-copa-mx-en-2013-el-titulo-previo-a-la-cruzazuleada-en-liga-mx-fotos |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=TUDN |language=es}}</ref> Following their cup victory, the club's league form improved, and they qualified for the playoffs as one of the title contenders. In the final of the [[2012–13 Liga MX season#Torneo Clausura|Clausura 2013 tournament]], Cruz Azul again faced América in a notable edition of the ''[[Clásico Joven]]''. After winning the first-leg and leading 2–0 on aggregate late into the second-leg, América equalized with goals in the 89th minute by [[Aquivaldo Mosquera]] and in the 93rd minute by goalkeeper [[Moisés Muñoz]]. América went on to win the championship 4–2 in a penalty shootout.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosas |first=Luis Óscar |date=3 December 2024 |title=La Final del Clausura 2013, el peor recuerdo que tiene Cruz Azul jugando contra América |url=https://www.tudn.com/futbol/liga-mx/cruz-azul-vs-america-la-final-del-clausura-2013-el-peor-recuerdo-para-la-maquina |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=TUDN |language=es}}</ref>