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Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, also known as UANL or simply Tigres, is a popular Mexican professional football club, which plays in the La Primera División. It is the youngest professional team from the state of Nuevo León. The side plays home games at the Estadio Universitario, located in San Nicolás de los Garza, a municipality in the metropolitan area of Monterrey. The UANL Tigres are the official team of the state-owned university, the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León (UANL, or Autonomous University of Nuevo León).
Their chief rival is Club de Fútbol Monterrey or Rayados, with whom they play a derby called the Clásico Regiomontano. The derby has intensified along with the rivalry. Determining who is better between both teams has become a very common and very arguable question between the fans in Monterrey.
Fans
Tigres have a large and loyal fanbase along the state of Nuevo Leon and the rest of the northeast of Mexico as well. Tigres fanatics are known as the most loyal fanbase for a soccer team in Mexico, holding the record over the past 10 years of the highest average attendance (42,777)[1], which is the 98% of the available capacity of the Estadio Universitario, making Tigres the most viewed professional team in Mexico, not only in soccer, but in every professional sport in the country.
Honours
- La Primera Division Championship(s): 2
- La Primera Division Runner-Up: 3
- 1979-80, Invierno 2001, Apertura 2003
- Interliga Championship(s): 2
- Mexico Cup Championship(s): 2
- Mexico Cup Runner-Up: 1
- La Segunda Division Championship(s): 1
- La Primera Division A Championship(s): 2
- Invierno 1996, and Verano 1997
- World Series of Football Championship(s): 1
History
- UANL Tigres were born as Jabatos, and later changed their name to "Tigres" (Tigers) in 1960.
- In 1974, they were Mexican Division Champions and therefore promoted to First Division.
- In 1975, they became the first team in the state of Nuevo León to win an official First Division Cup Championship.
- In 1978, only a year after being promoted, they became the first team in the state to win the League.
- In 1979, they became League Runner up after losing against Cruz Azul. Some consider this the best final in the history of the Mexican First Division[2]. The Azteca Stadium Electronic Score Bilboard played the phrase "TIGRES. estos si tienen corazon" over and over after the final game was over[citation needed].
- In 1982, they won their second First Division League Championship.
- In 1989, they became Cup Runner Up after losing against Puebla.
- In 1996, after years of corrupt management of the state-controlled university, and of the team, Tigres were relegated to Primera División A. Note that Mexico uses a percentage-based relegation system, in which the team with the worst performance percentage in three years (instead of the worst team in the season) is relegated. In fact, Tigres qualified to play-offs in 1996, but it was the cumulative effect of corruption on the team that caused the crisis. As a result, the team was privatized, and the administration of the team was given for 10 years to Sinergia Deportiva, a trust-holder run by Cemex.
- In 1997, after two consecutive Primera "A" championships, the team returns to first division, or "Primera División de México".
- In 2001 and 2003, the team reached the final, both times against Pachuca, and both times defeated in their stadium.
- In October 2003 the team invited the marching band from Texas State University to perform at its match against the Rayados.
- In October 2004, the team purchased the rights to a franchise in the MISL called the Monterrey Tigres. However, due to conflicts with the previous MISL franchise the Monterrey Fury, the team elected not to complete its purchase of the team, and the MISL terminated the indoor franchise in December 2004.
- In Jaunuary of 2006, Tigres defeated their arch-rival Club de Futbol Monterrey, to win their second InterLiga, and qualify again to Copa Libertadores. [3]
- On August 3, 2006, Cemex, the company who controls Tigres, celebrated its first 100 years with a match between Tigres and FC Barcelona in Monterrey. The game ended with the locals losing by 3-0. Syndey Balderas of Tigres scored an own-goal, Ronaldinho scored with a free kick and later passed to Eiður Guðjohnsen for a third goal.[4]
Anthem
Throughout the years, Tigres has had different songs to represent its colors. The fight song, also known as "anthem" is played in an informal manner every time Tigres plays, and it is also played on local radio programs that cover Tigres games or are about soccer in Monterrey, and talk about Tigres.
The current anthem was written and composed in 1996 by José Antonio "Tony" Villegas, and produced by Santiago Yturria. This is the newest Tigres anthem, created when the team was privatized. A hip-hop remix of the anthem has also been created since.
This anthem is different from past anthems because it glorifies attributes and values that are popularly related to the city of Monterrey or the State of Nuevo León, and relates those values to the team. Some of these values include "hard work", dedication to a common goal, unity, strength, the value of the locality, positive example to children, and the "dream of always being the best".
Rivalries
There are a number of matches which the media, or the rivals, regard as special matches for Tigres. However, the only derby that Tigres fans consider as "real" is the Clásico Regiomontano. Following, is a list of matches that are called "special" or "classic" by the media:
- Tigres UANL vs. Monterrey
- This is the authentic Clásico Regiomontano derby. On every Clásico, the Stadium is sold out before tickets even go on sell to the public in booths. In the history of Clásicos, Tigres is the better team with 31 victories, and only 29 defeats. Tied games are 24. One game was suspended.
- Tigres UANL vs. Pachuca
- Pachuca gained promotion by elimintating Tigres' affiliate Tigrillos in the promotion final. In First Division, Pachuca has defeated Tigres in the League Final twice at the Estadio Universitario. Because of this, Tigres fans have a sense of rivalry against Pachuca. This rivalry has been recently fueled by the signing of José Luis Trejo as Tigres coach only a day after Pachuca won the Clausura 2006 final, an action that Pachuca considered a "lack of ethics" by Tigres. Pachuca has never defeated UANL at the Estadio Universitario.
- Tigres UANL vs. Cruz Azul
- Some media outlets call this a derby, because Cruz Azul represents a cement company, and Tigres are administered by CEMEX, the second largest cement company in the world. It is called by some media outlets the "Cement Derby", or "Clasico del Cemento."
- Tigres UANL vs. UNAM
- Because Tigres represent the UANL, University of Nuevo León, and Pumas represent the UNAM, National University of Mexico, this is game is sometimes called the "University Derby", or "Clásico Universitario". Without a doubt, UANL and UNAM are the two most prestigious public universities in the country.
- Tigres UANL vs. Santos Laguna
- The people of the city of Torreon (and actually, of the state of Coahuila) have a rivalry with the state of Nuevo León, in which Tigres play. So, for Santos Laguna, who play in Torreon, and their fans, this match is a derby, and so it is when they play against CF Monterrey[5]. However, neither Monterrey-based teams take this match as a derby.
Fans
Tigres have a large and loyal fanbase along the state of Nuevo Leon and the rest of the northeast of Mexico as well. Tigres fanatics are known as the most loyal fanbase for a soccer team in Mexico, holding the record over the past 10 years of the highest average attendance (42,777)[6], which is the 98% of the available capacity of the Estadio Universitario, making Tigres the most viewed professional team in Mexico, not only in soccer, but in every professional sport in the country.
Libres y Lokos is one of the most noticible crowds around Mexico that support the team. Every time a Clasico takes place a lot of rivalry is showed between Libres y Lokos with La Adiccion ,which is the crowd that supports Tigres' biggest rival Club de Fútbol Monterrey.
Copa Libertadores
2005
In January 2005, the team won the InterLiga Championship in Houston, Texas. With this, they qualified for the prestigious Copa Libertadores de América. This was the first time the team qualified to any international tournament.
The Tigres adventure in the Libertadores included their first ever game in that tournament against Alianza Lima in Peru on February 15, 2005 (away, score: 0-0) and May 3, 2005 (home, score: 0-0). Their first ever win on the tournament, on February 23, 2005, against Caracas FC, from Venezuela (home, score: 3-1), and on April 13, 2005 (away, score: 2-5). This last game is the biggest-scoring game the team has had in its history on the tournament.
In the same group was also the Club Atlético Banfield. They confronted themselves in March 15 (home, score: 2-2) and in April 6, 2005 (away, score: 0-3).
The Tigres qualifyied (along with Banfield) into the next stage, where they met against previous year champion colombian team Once Caldas. On May 19, 2005, both teams tied (away, score: 1-1) and then, Tigres won on the second game on May 26, 2005 (home, score: 2-1) thus qualifying to quarterfinals against Sao Paulo, who later went on to become champion, and who only lost a match in this tournament against this team.
On Quarterfinals, the first game on June 1, 2005 was lost (away, score: 4-0) and the next game on June 15, 2005 was won (home, score: 2-1). The aggregate score was 5-2 against, and the team was eliminated from the championship.
In summary, UANL Tigres won 5 games, tied 4 and lost one, and ended 5th.
With Tigres, Hugo Sánchez became the first person born in Monterrey to ever score in the tournament.
2006
After defeating their arch-rival, Club de Fútbol Monterrey, at the Home Depot Center in California, Tigres won their second consecutive Interliga and became the first Mexican team to qualify to two consecutive Copa Libertadores de América.
In this edition, Tigres faced the Universidad Católica from Chile, the Corinthians, from Brazil, and Deportivo Cali, of Colombia.
This was a tougher group stage than they had last year, and was one of the toughest in the tournament. However, Tigres qualifyied for the next round, but only by goal-difference advantage, and after a last minute goal by Carlos Ramírez.
Because of its intensity, this group staged produced a lot of memorable games, particularly against Universidad Católica and against Corinthians at home and away. Tigres ended second in the group due to goal difference advantage, in a last minute goal against U. Católica, and so qualified again for playoffs.
However, they were eliminated in the round of sixteen. Tigres played Libertad of Paraguay on April 27, 2006 and again on May 4, 2006. The matches ended 0-0, and Tigres were eliminated on penalty kicks (5-3).
In summary, Tigres played 8 games, and produced 3 wins, 3 ties, and two defeats.
This performance was noticeably inferior from its first, and it produced its first penalty kicks experience in Copa Libertadores.
Current roster
Squad changes for Clausura 2008
In:
Out:
Retired Numbers
-
The number 7 in Tigres has been immortalized to honor Gerónimo Barbadillo.
- 12
 (reserved for the fans)
The club does not assign the number 12 to any player in order to honour its fans as the 12th man.
Famous Players
Top Goalscorers
Notable Managers
Sponsorship
Affiliate
Tigres Reynosa is the Primera División A affiliate of Tigres UANL. They play in the inferior division to provide a training ground for prospective players aspiring to play in the Primera División de México. They currently play in Reynosa, Tamaulipas.
Honours
- Primera "A" League Championship: 1
- Primera "A" Runner-up: 1
- Second Division Championship: 1
- Third Division Championship: 1
History
They were born in 1991 as a Third Division team, and they were then called Tigrillos UANL (Tigrillos means "little tigers"). They played in Monterrey in those times.
In 1994 they won the Third Division championship and gained a right to participate in the Second Division. A few years later, in 1996, under the tutorship of Osvaldo Batocletti, they were again promoted, this time to Primera Division A.
The 1996 and 1997 seasons where the same that Tigres UANL were unfortunately relegated to the Primera Division A. This created the unique circumstance that both the main team and the affiliate competed in the same division.
However, Mexican rules forbidded two teams to have the same name, so they were re-named as simply U de NL (in reference to the UANL which they represent, despite having just been privatized). They maintained the colors, but where moved to Saltillo. During these two seasons the two only brotherly clásicos, a derby played between the two Tigres teams, where played.
After Tigres UANL were promoted again to First Division, U de NL changed its name again to Tigrillos.
In 1998 they won the Primera División A Verano 1998, however they were not promoted to First Division, because they were defeated by CF Pachuca in the promotion game (between the champion of Verano and the champion of Invierno championships, today Verano has been changed to Clausura and Invierno has been changed to Apertura). Interestingly, CF Pachuca has defeated Tigres UANL in the First Division finals twice, creating a rivalry between CF Pachuca and Tigres UANL fans.
Tigrillos then played the Final of the Verano 2002 against Club San Luis, and achieved only runner-up position.
Due to the cost of maintaining the affiliate, in 2003, 'Tigrillos' moved to Mexico City under the administration of Club América and were called Tigrillos Coapa. This only lasted a year.
In 2004 they moved to Los Mochis and where named Tigrillos Broncos. In Clausura 2005 they were renamed Tigres Los Mochis.
The 2007-2008 season has Tigres Los Mochis moving to Reynosa, Tamaulipas.
References
External links
de:UANL Tigres
es:Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León fr:Tigres UANL nl:Club Tigres pl:Tigres UANL pt:Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
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