Tigres, the eternal loser of CONCACAF
With last night’s defeat to Toluca, Los Felinos let another international trophy slip away.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup simply does not seem to be Tigres’ competition. On Saturday, the Monterrey-based club lost yet another final, this time to Toluca, who proved more clinical when it mattered most by prevailing in the penalty shootout. With this latest setback, Tigres now stand as the second-most unsuccessful team in the tournament’s history.
The Universitarios’ record in the competition is difficult to ignore. Since the club’s founding in 1960, Tigres have reached five CONCACAF finals. Their first appearance came in 2016, when América denied them the trophy thanks to a memorable goal from Osvaldo Martínez in the second leg.
Since then, they have reached four more finals, including two played under the competition’s current single-match format. Their only triumph came against LAFC in 2020, highlighting a long-standing struggle in a tournament that seems almost cursed for the UANL side.
CONCACAF Champions Cup finals lost by Tigres
2016 Final vs. América
- First leg (20 April 2016): Tigres UANL 0-2 América
- Second leg (27 April 2016): América 2-1 Tigres UANL
- Aggregate: América 4-1 Tigres
América produced a dominant attacking display, with goals from Osvaldo Martínez, Darío Benedetto and Michael Arroyo. It marked the beginning of a painful trend, as Las Águilas would continue to torment Tigres in major finals, particularly in Liga MX.
2017 Final vs. Pachuca
- First leg (18 April 2017): Tigres UANL 1-1 Pachuca
- Second leg (26 April 2017): Pachuca 1-0 Tigres UANL
- Aggregate: Pachuca 2-1 Tigres
Tigres reached the final for the second consecutive year but once again fell short. Diego Alonso’s Pachuca side claimed the title, with Franco Jara scoring the decisive goal at the Estadio Hidalgo.
2019 Final vs. Monterrey
- First leg (23 April 2019): Tigres UANL 0-1 Monterrey
- Second leg (1 May 2019): Monterrey 1-1 Tigres UANL
- Aggregate: Monterrey 2-1 Tigres
Perhaps the most painful defeat of all came against their fiercest rivals. Tigres lost the first leg at El Volcán and were unable to recover, as Nicolás Sánchez helped Rayados secure the title at the BBVA Stadium.
2026 Final vs. Toluca
- Single match (30 May 2026): Toluca 1-1 Tigres UANL
- Penalties: Toluca won 6-5
Fortune was not on Tigres’ side. They rescued a dramatic equaliser in the closing moments of normal time but ultimately fell in the shootout. Juan Sánchez Purata missed the decisive penalty, extending the club’s frustrating history in the competition.
Who are the biggest losers in Concacaf Champions Cup history?
With this defeat, Los Felinos move further up an unwanted list. The teams with the most runners-up finishes in the competition are:
- SV Robinhood – 5 finals lost
- Tigres UANL – 4 finals lost
- Saprissa – 3 finals lost
- Alajuelense – 3 finals lost
- SV Transvaal – 3 finals lost
- Toluca – 3 finals lost
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