Who are Monterrey?

Monterrey are one of two Mexican clubs that will compete at the Club World Cup in the United States and here you can read all about them ahead of the tournament.

Where are Monterrey from?

Monterrey are a Mexican team based in the metropolitan area of the same name in the state of Nuevo Leon.

History

Monterrey were founded in June 1945 and struggled to solidify their place in the top flight in the 1950s, winning the second division of Mexico in 1956 and 1960. 

They have not been relegated from the highest level of Mexican football since then but had to wait a long time before they were successful, winning their first league title in 1986.

The Rayados went on to win the Copa Mexico in 1992 but their real sustained success has come since the turn of the century, precipitated by their takeover by local bottling company FEMSA in 1999.

Monterrey would win the Clausura in 2003 and finish as runners-up in the Apertura in 2004 and 2005 before eventually lifting that trophy in both 2009 and 2010.

The side had a number of near misses before an extremely successful 2019 that saw them do the treble, winning the Apertura, Copa MX and CONCACAF Champions League.

It is on that stage where they have proved particularly efficient, winning five CONCACAF Champions League titles since 2010.

They won three consecutive titles between 2011 and 2013 and as a result have competed at the Club World Cup on five occasions.

They managed third-placed finishes in 2012 and 2019, beating Al Ahly in the former and Al-Hilal in the latter.

Nickname

Monterrey are primarily known as Rayados, which means Striped-Ones, but they are sometimes referred to as La Pandilla or Los Albiazules.

Notable Players

Current Players

One player that will immediately catch the eye on the Monterrey team sheet is Sergio Ramos. The Spaniard had a prestigious career in Europe, winning four UEFA Champions League titles and five La Liga crowns with Real Madrid.

The defender has also lifted the Club World Cup on four occasions and is both a World Cup and European Championship winner at international level with Spain.

After a spell with boyhood club Sevilla, Ramos signed for Monterrey in February and was immediately made captain. He has already netted three times and been sent off in his eight league games for the Mexican side. Rayados will be hoping that his experience in this competition will be crucial.

Another former Spain international in the Monterrey ranks is Sergio Canales, who has been crucial to their success since arriving at the club from Real Betis in 2023.

The former Real Madrid man played for his national team as recently as two years ago and has 24 goals and 12 assists in Liga MX in his two seasons with the club.

Former Porto and Sevilla star Jesus Corona is also a key player, registering eight assists already this season. The 32-year-old has made 71 appearances for Mexico and scored 10 goals, although he has not featured for his nation since 2022.

Former Players

Humberto Suazo is one of the most celebrated players in Monterrey history, netting plenty of goals for the club over his eight years with Rayados. He scored crucial goals in their 2009 and 2010 Apertura wins, as well as netting five times in the finals of their three consecutive CONCACAF Champions League victories.

The Chilean departed in 2015 but remains the second-highest scorer in the club's history and is still considered a legend.

Rogelio Funes Mori is another iconic striker for the Mexican side. Brother of former Everton defender Jose, Rogelio is the all-time leading goalscorer for Monterrey, netting 160 times for the club across eight years.

The 34-year-old scored the crucial goal over Club America in Monterrey’s 2021 CONCACAF Champions League final victory. He also netted against Liverpool in the 2019 Club World Cup and departed in January 2024 after 328 matches for the side.

How did Monterrey qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup?

Monterrey qualified for the Club World Cup thanks to their 2021 CONCACAF Champions League win over Club America, the success came in front of their home fans and ensured they took one of CONCACAF’s four allocated berths at this year’s tournament.

Monterrey Club World Cup group

Group E

• River Plate

• Urawa Red Diamonds

• Monterrey

• Inter Milan