The derby between the two, known as the Clásico Regiomontano, is considered to be one of the most heated and intensely competed rivalries in Mexican football; both teams consistently rank among the highest in attendance[5] and regularly feature among the most expensively assembled squads in the country.

[6][7] Club de Football Monterrey was founded on 28 June 1945, near the end of World War II by a group of industrial businessmen headed by Ramón Cárdenas Coronado, Enrique Ayala Medina, Paul C. Probert, Rogelio Cantú Gómez and Miguel Margáín Zozaya.

In its first professional game, played on 19 August 1945 against San Sebastián de León, Monterrey won 1–0, with José "Che" Gómez scoring the winner.

Monterrey played its first match in international tournaments on 5 July 1975 in the 1975 CONCACAF Champions' Cup when they defeated Canadian club Serbian White Eagles FC by a score of 2–0.

In the 1978–79 tournament the club once again qualified to the playoffs finishing 1st in group one with a total of 40 points by means of 14 wins 12 draws and 12 losses.

The decade came to an end with "Rayados" having shown great effort, as they qualified a couple times for the playoffs, but failed to win their first league title.

Young talent Jesus Arellano was sold to Guadalajara in 1997, though he returned to the club in 2000 and spent the next eleven years as captain before retiring in 2011.

In 2002, Monterrey hired Argentinian coach Daniel Passarella and started to form a strong and competitive side featuring the likes of Guillermo Franco, Walter Erviti, Jesus Arellano and Luis Perez.

This team featured new players such as Humberto Suazo and newly acquired league veteran striker Jared Borgetti.

In 2009, Monterrey hired coach Víctor Manuel Vucetich and formed a team that would become one of the strongest in the league, with an attack led by Humberto Suazo and new acquisition Aldo de Nigris, a midfield featuring veteran players Luis Ernesto Perez and Jesus Arellano along with Walter Ayovi and a defence led by Jose Maria Basanta, Duilio Davino and goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco.

In the next tournament, Humberto Suazo left to play for Spanish club Real Zaragoza, but nonetheless, Monterrey managed to finish on top of the table for the first time in their history.

Suazo returned to Rayados for the Apertura 2010 tournament, and they managed to win their fourth league title when they defeated Santos Laguna in the finals.

However, Monterrey managed to make a dramatic comeback and scored four goals within 30 minutes, starting with a brace from Aldo de Nigris and a goal each from Humberto Suazo and Neri Cardozo, which gave Monterrey their third consecutive CONCACAF Champions League title and the fifth overall title in the Vucetich Era.

Colombian striker Dorlan Pabon re-joined the team, and with new signings such as Stefan Medina and Pablo Barrera, Monterrey started the Apertura 2014 tournament with high expectations.

In the summer, Rayados made new signings, including midfielder Walter Gargano, striker Rogelio Funes Mori and re-signed Jose Maria Basanta, who had left for Italian side Florentina after the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Rayados had a formidable attacking trio of Dorlan Pabon, Rogelio Funes Mori and Edwin Cardona, who had signed with Monterrey during the winter of 2015.

[24][25] The team's success was primarily due to their attacking trio composed of Pabon, Funes Mori and Cardona, with midfielder Carlos Sanchez providing several goals and assists.

[26] In the quarterfinals, they faced their arch-rivals and defending league champions Tigres UANL, the first leg was played at the Estadio Universitario where Monterrey won 3–1.

Controversy arose when it was confirmed that Carlos Sanchez would not be able to play the finals as the Uruguay national team had called him up for the upcoming Copa América Centenario.

[33][34] In the league finals against Pachuca, Monterrey lost the first leg 1–0 at the Estadio Hidalgo, with the sole goal coming from striker Franco Jara.

[39] However, it also saw the return of Rayados to the CONCACAF Champions League after a three-year absence, having won the tournament three times in a row under Vucetich.

In the second leg at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Tigres beat Monterrey 2–1 with goals from Eduardo Vargas and Francisco Meza.

Despite beating Querétaro 1–0 in the quarter-finals and Pachuca on penalties in the semi-finals, the club would fall short, losing 2–0 to Cruz Azul in Copa MX Apertura final.

They would advance to the semifinals in the Clausura playoffs, beating Necaxa but losing to Tigres on a league position decider after a 1–1 draw.

The stadium was inaugurated on 2 August 2015 in a friendly match for the eighth edition of the Eusébio Cup, where Monterrey defeated Benfica 3–0 hosting in front of a sold-out crowd.

[53][54] Estadio BBVA, designed by Christopher Lee of Populous, started its development in October 2011, and included plans for reforestation and environmental healing for the decaying area that surrounds the construction site.

It has an authentic grass surface, suites, a club-themed Restaurant, a club lounge, and high-end interior and exterior design.

On 29 May 2016, Monterrey played their first final in their new stadium in front of 50,000 fans against Pachuca for the Clausura 2016 championship, which they tied 1–1, but lost 2–1 on aggregate.

In the 1960s the club wore a different kit inspired by the one used by Jaibos Tampico Madero with vertical baby blue lines with white shorts and socks.

Source: Liga MX Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply.