Cruz Azul chief confirms club decision on Joel Huiqui future
Speaking after Cruz Azul’s Liga MX title triumph on Sunday, La Máquina’s president discussed the club’s plans for Huiqui.
Having guided Cruz Azul to the Liga MX title as interim head coach, Joel Huiqui is to remain in his post on a full-time basis, the club’s president has confirmed.
“Win the title and you keep the job”
After Sunday’s Clausura 2026 final win over Pumas, Víctor Velázquez told TUDN that he had held talks with Huiqui before the title decider - and had made it clear that a championship would secure his position on the sideline. Velázquez indicated that the club now plans to strengthen the squad around the 43-year-old.
“When I spoke with Joel, I told him: win the title and you keep the job,” Velázquez said. “We’re going to keep working. Today is a moment to celebrate - for our fans, for everyone in the organization, for the players, their families, the coaching staff, and the front office. But above all, we have an incredible fan base.”
He added: “Everything we’ve done has been for them. Now it’s time to start planning for the next tournament.”
A difficult call on Larcamón
Huiqui took interim charge in April, after Velázquez made one of the most striking decisions of his tenure as Cruz Azul president: dismissing Nicolas Larcamón as head coach on the verge of the Clausura regular season’s conclusion. The gamble paid off, though he admits it was far from easy.
“Sometimes a coach or a player just isn’t the right fit for a club, or it’s simply time for a change,” Velázquez said of the decision to dispense with Larcamón’s services. “And I believe - no, I’m confident - we got it right,” he said.
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