Regular season-playoffs double: who’s done it most in Liga MX?

With one game to go in the Clausura 2023 regular season, Monterrey are already certain to progress to the playoffs as league-phase champions, having made sure of top spot with a 2-0 victory over Mazatlán on matchday 16.

When have Monterrey followed regular-season win with playoffs success?

However, only once in Monterrey’s history - in four previous attempts - have they gone on to win the playoffs after leading the way in the league phase.

That was in the Mexico’ 86 tournament, when Rayados accrued an unmatched 29 points in the regular season, before beating Atlante, Chivas Guadalajara and Tampico Madero in the knockout rounds.

América and Cruz Azul out in front

When it comes to contesting the postseason phase as the regular-season’s best team, Club América and Cruz Azul are the Liga MX’s most successful sides.

Since a title-deciding knockout stage was introduced in the Mexican top flight in 1970, América have gone on to win the championship on five of the 16 occasions that they have been top dogs in the round-robin stage.

Las Águilas doubled up in 1970/71, 1975/76, 1983/84, 1987/88 and the Apertura 2014 tournament.

Meanwhile, Cruz Azul have also preceded playoffs glory with regular-season success five times: in 1971/72, 1972/73, 1973/74, 1978/79 and the Clausura 2021. La Máquina have been the league phase’s best-performing side on 12 occasions.

As you can see, América and Cruz Azul have both struggled to double up in recent decades, with both giants achieving the feat just once since the introduction of the Liga MX’s short-tournament format in 1996.

Diablos Rojos complete Liga MX podium

After these two clubs, Toluca are the league’s next-most frequent winner of both regular season and playoffs. Los Diablos Rojos have managed it three times (out of six), in the Verano 1998, Verano 1999 and Verano 2002 tournaments.