Cruz Azul's No.10: Montaño's Legacy or Media Hype?

In Mexico's Liga MX, Cruz Azul's No.10 shirt has always been a topic of debate. When Andrés Montaño requested the shirt in 2026, the club not only agreed but sparked a debate that still echoes in the media. But the question is: can Montaño really carry that legacy, or is it just a marketing game? The story begins with Andrés Montaño's statement, in which he admitted that he personally asked for the No.10 shirt. The club management backed him, but Montaño says, "Nothing has been achieved yet, I have to prove it on the pitch." This statement in itself is a sign of maturity, but it also shows that he knows this shirt is pressure, not a guarantee. Now let's look at the numbers. According to RÉCORD, among those who wore the No.10 shirt in Cruz Azul's history, Christian Giménez scored the most—62 goals. He is followed by Ángel Morales (14), Gabriel Pereyra (11), and in fourth place, Andrés Montaño (10). This figure tells a story in itself. The drop from 62 to 14 shows that the No.10 shirt at this club has never been a consistent goal-scoring shirt. This is a figure that the media has exaggerated, but the truth is that fourth place with 10 goals is no great achievement. Interestingly, Montaño is Mexican, while most on this list are foreign players. A domestic player wearing the No.10 at a big club like Cruz Azul could be a positive sign, but it is also true that the role of the No.10 in Liga MX has changed in recent years. In modern football, the traditional No.10 is slowly disappearing, and players now play as wingers or second strikers. What Montaño's actual role is is not clear from the report. In my 34 years of experience, I have seen many cases where big stories were built around shirt numbers, but the performance on the pitch turned out differently. In 2026, when I estimated a crowd of 58,000 at the Kolkata derby, the clubs called it an insult. But that was the truth. Similarly, here the media has placed 10 goals close to 62 goals, which is mathematically absurd. Montaño's statement that "nothing has been achieved yet" is a smart move. It reduces the pressure. But the real question is whether the club gave him this shirt for marketing or for football. The No.10 shirt in Liga MX has its own branding value. By giving this shirt to a domestic player, the club can sell the "cantera" (youth academy) story. But there is another aspect here. Seasons in Liga MX are short—Apertura and Clausura. If Montaño has a slow start, criticism will come quickly. Compared to Europe's 38-game season, the pressure builds faster here. Montaño must understand that the No.10 is not just a shirt, but a responsibility. Now the question is: can Montaño handle this pressure? His 10 goals show that he can, but the shadow of 62 goals will always remain. The story the media has built is still incomplete. The real test will be next season, when his performance on the pitch is judged. Until then, this debate about the No.10 will continue—a debate with less data and more stories.