The trend has flipped. Leaders won only 7 titles from Invierno 1996 to Apertura 2019, then 6 since 2020: León, Cruz Azul, América twice and Toluca twice. AS calls it six of nine tournaments; the full list from Apertura 2020 to Clausura 2026 gives 6 of 12.
Back to the trend of the day: Race for Mexico's football playoffs heats up with nine weekend matches
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day
Maldición del superlíder Liga MX 2026: clubs ranked
Only 13 of the 59 regular-season leaders in Liga MX's short tournaments went on to win the title, and Toluca owns five of those 13.
- No. 1: Toluca
- 10 places
01Final list
The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.
Order: from most to least AI agreement.
A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.
- 1
Toluca
5 titles from 8 first places (62.5%): three straight Veranos 1998–2000, then both 2025 tournaments. Older tables show 3 titles, or 6 finishes (MXFútbol), from before the 2025 double.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1 · Meta: 2 · Grok: 1 · Gemini: 1 · Kimi: 1 · DeepSeek: 1 · Qwen: 1
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 1
The only club with five titles as top seed: three in a row under Meza (Verano 1998-2000), then back-to-back in 2025 – and no known failure as leader.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 1
Five successful superlíder campaigns: the old Verano dynasty returned in 2025 and won twice in a row.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 2
Most titles as superlíder in short era: 3 crowns from 8 finishes = 37.5%, first club to break curse in Verano 1998
Source ↗ - Grokplace 1
Five titles from eight first-place finishes — the highest conversion rate by a wide margin in the short-tournament era.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 1
Broke the superstition early by converting 3 top seeds into titles in just five tournaments between 1998 and 2000 under Enrique Meza.
- Kimiplace 1
5 titles from 8 superlíder finishes — a 62.5% conversion no other club comes close to, including three straight as No. 1 seed in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 1
Five titles from eight first-place finishes (62.5%) — the best conversion in the short-tournament era and the only club with top-seed titles in both the 1990s and the 2020s.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 1
The Diablos Rojos boast a stunning 62.5% conversion rate, claiming 5 titles from 8 regular-season crowns.
Source ↗
8 AIs put it here - 2
Pachuca
2 of 4 (50%): won Clausura 2006 and 2007 as leader, then lost the Clausura 2009 and 2022 finals from first place.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 2 · ChatGPT: 3 · Meta: 1 · Grok: 2 · Gemini: 3 · Kimi: 3 · DeepSeek: 2 · Qwen: 3
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 2
Back-to-back titles as top seed in 2006 and 2007, and the club has also won as sublíder (Clausura 2016).
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 3
Four first-place finishes produced two championships: a 50% conversion rate in the published historical sample.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 1
2 titles from 4 superlíder finishes = 50% conversion, only back-to-back superlíder champions (Clausura 2006 and Clausura 2007)
Source ↗ - Grokplace 2
Two titles from four first-place finishes — a clean 50% rate that still stands as elite.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 3
Boasts the highest conversion efficiency in Mexico, turning 2 of its 4 regular-season triumphs into trophies in Clausura 2006 and Clausura 2007.
- Kimiplace 3
Converted back-to-back superlíder runs in Clausura 2006 and Clausura 2007 — 2 titles from just 4 first-place finishes, a 50% strike rate.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 2
Two titles from four first-place finishes (50%) — the only club other than Toluca to convert multiple top seeds before 2020.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 3
Los Tuzos are the most efficient leaders, converting half of their 4 first-place finishes into silverware.
Source ↗
8 AIs put it here - 3
Club América
More first places than any other club (10), but only 3 became titles (30%): Apertura 2014, Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024. It leads on volume, not on efficiency.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 3 · ChatGPT: 2 · Meta: 3 · Grok: 3 · Gemini: 2 · Kimi: 2 · DeepSeek: 5 · Qwen: 2
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 3
Most first places in the short era (10) but only 3 titles, so a 30% rate – the volume leader, not the efficiency leader.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 2
The most frequent table-topper in the published comparison has also converted three of its ten leads into titles.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 3
3 titles from 10 superlider finishes = 30%, only club to convert back-to-back as No.1 (Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024)
Source ↗ - Grokplace 3
Three titles from ten first-place finishes — the most superlíder appearances, with a solid 30% conversion that recent years improved.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 2
Holds the league record with 10 superlíder finishes and became the first back-to-back champion as top seed in Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024.
- Kimiplace 2
10 superlíder finishes — the most in the short era — and 7 collapses to match; when they do convert, they go back-to-back (2023, 2024).
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 5
Three titles from ten first-place finishes (30%) — more top-seed titles than anyone except Toluca, yet seven of those ten Liguillas ended without the trophy.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 2
Las Águilas lead the league with 10 superlíder finishes and have recently conquered the curse to win 3 championships.
Source ↗
8 AIs put it here - 4
Santos Laguna
1 of 3 (33%): won Clausura 2012, went out in the Apertura 2007 semifinal and the Apertura 2019 quarterfinal. Same rate as León; Santos's three titles as sublíder don't count here.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 5 · ChatGPT: 5 · Meta: 4 · Grok: 4 · Gemini: 4 · Kimi: 4 · DeepSeek: 3 · Qwen: 4
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 5
Won as top seed in 2012 but lost the 2021 final to a leading Cruz Azul – and has three titles as sublíder.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 5
Three reported first-place finishes and one successful conversion, including the rare title won under a replacement coach.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 4
1 title from 3 superlider finishes = 33.3%, Clausura 2012 title after Apertura 2007 semifinal exit as No.1
Source ↗ - Grokplace 4
One title from three first-place finishes — the Clausura 2012 triumph remains their sole conversion.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 4
Turned a dominant Clausura 2012 campaign into a championship victory against Monterrey to become northern Mexico's first top-seed champion.
- Kimiplace 4
1 title from 3 superlíder finishes — Clausura 2012 remains the club's only conversion, and its reward was ending a 6-year drought.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 3
One title from three first-place finishes (33.3%) — the 2012 Clausura is the only top-seed title in a nine-tournament stretch between 2007 and 2014.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 4
The Guerreros have reached the summit 3 times, securing their fourth star during the Clausura 2012 campaign.
Source ↗
8 AIs put it here - 5
León
1 of 3 (33%): finally won as leader in Guardianes 2020, after losing finals from first place in Invierno 1997 and Clausura 2019.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 4 · ChatGPT: 4 · Meta: 5 · Grok: 5 · Gemini: 5 · Kimi: 5 · DeepSeek: 4 · Qwen: 5
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 4
One first place, one title: a perfect record, but from a single data point.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 4
Three reported first-place finishes, one championship, and a title-winning run that helped change the modern narrative.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 5
1 title from 3 superlider finishes = 33.3%, Apertura 2020 champion after record 41-point Clausura 2019 collapse
Source ↗ - Grokplace 5
One title from three first-place finishes — Guardianes 2020 was a complete regular-season-to-final success.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 5
Redeemed their record-setting 41-point heartbreak of 2019 by capturing the Guardianes 2020 crown wire-to-wire.
- Kimiplace 5
Waited 23 years: superlíder and runner-up in Invierno 1997, finally crowned as superlíder in Guardianes 2020 — 1 of 3 converted.
- DeepSeekplace 4
One title from three first-place finishes (33.3%) — Guardianes 2020 made León the first top seed to win in nine short tournaments.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 5
La Fiera broke a decades-long championship drought by finishing first and winning the Guardianes 2020 tournament.
Source ↗
8 AIs put it here - 6
Cruz Azul
1 title from 8 first places (12.5%), Guardianes 2021. MXFútbol counts 7 and some sources 9. Its record 42-point lead in Apertura 2024 still ended in the semifinal.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 6 · ChatGPT: 6 · Meta: 6 · Grok: 6 · Gemini: 6 · Kimi: 6 · DeepSeek: 6 · Qwen: 6
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 6
Led the table 14 times across all eras but won only 5 of them, only one in the short era.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 6
Seven first-place finishes but only one superlíder title: the largest gap between regular-season frequency and conversion among the successful clubs.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 6
1 title from 8 superlider finishes = 12.5%, worst conversion among big clubs but broke 23-year title drought as No.1 in Guardianes 2021
Source ↗ - Grokplace 6
One title from eight (or nine) first-place finishes — the lowest conversion among clubs with multiple superlíderes.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 6
Endured seven painful top-seed knockouts before finally conquering both their 23-year title drought and the curse in Guardianes 2021.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 6
8 superlíder finishes — tied second-most in the era — but only 1 title: five of the seven failures ended in the quarterfinals, the statistical heart of the 'curse'.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 6
One title from eight first-place finishes (12.5%) — the worst conversion among clubs with at least five superlíder seasons, and the modern symbol of the curse.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 6
La Máquina is the ultimate victim of the curse, leading the table 8 times but only managing a single title in 2021.
Source ↗
8 AIs put it here - 7
Monterrey (Rayados)
0 for 4: lost the Clausura 2016 final to Pachuca and the Apertura 2017 final to Tigres after topping the table both times.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 8 · ChatGPT: 8 · Meta: 7 · Grok: 7 · Gemini: 8 · Kimi: 8 · DeepSeek: 8 · Qwen: 8
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 8
Four first places in the short era (as of 2023) and no title from any of them.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 8
Four reported superlíder finishes and no titles as the No. 1 seed, despite being a major postseason contender.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 7
0 titles from 4 superlider finishes = 0%, lost two finals as No.1 (Clausura 2016 vs Pachuca, Apertura 2017 vs Tigres)
Source ↗ - Grokplace 7
Zero titles from four first-place finishes — reached finals as superlíder but never converted.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 8
Topped the regular season four separate times only to endure agonizing home final collapses as top seed in 2016 and 2017.
- Kimiplace 8
0 for 4 as superlíder — three of the four failures ended as runner-up (2016, 2017), the cruellest near-miss record in the ranking.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 8
Four first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — including the 2017 final loss to Tigres after topping the table.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 8
Rayados has dominated 4 regular seasons, including recent Apertura finishes, but always crashes out in the Liguilla.
Source ↗
8 AIs put it here - 8
Tigres UANL
0 for 5 as leader, yet Tigres has won six short-era titles, all from lower seeds. No club shows a wider gap between winning titles and winning from first.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Meta, MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 7 · ChatGPT: 7 · Grok: 8 · Gemini: 7 · Kimi: 7 · DeepSeek: 7 · Qwen: 7
What each AI noted 7
- Claudeplace 7
Six short-tournament titles, none of them won from first place.
Source ↗ - ChatGPTplace 7
Five reported first-place finishes and zero championships as superlíder: a strong club with a strikingly empty conversion column.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 8
Zero titles from five first-place finishes — frequent superlíder but never the champion from the top seed.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 7
Built a dominant 2010s dynasty yet won all six of their short-tournament titles from lower seeds, going 0-for-5 when entering as No. 1.
- Kimiplace 7
0 for 5 — the most superlíder finishes of any club never crowned; twice they lost the final as the No. 1 seed, both times to Pachuca (2001, 2003).
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 7
Five first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — the most superlíder seasons without a conversion in the short-tournament era.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 7
The Auriazules have suffered heartbreak 5 separate times, holding the worst conversion rate among clubs with multiple superlíder finishes.
Source ↗
7 AIs put it here - 9
Chivas Guadalajara
0 for 2 (Clausura 2008, Apertura 2011), both quarterfinal exits. Every Chivas title in the short era came from behind the leader.
Included it: ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Claude, MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: ChatGPT: 10 · Meta: 8 · Grok: 10 · Gemini: 10 · Kimi: 9 · DeepSeek: 10 · Qwen: 9
What each AI noted 7
- ChatGPTplace 10
Two first-place finishes and no title as superlíder, although Guadalajara has won short-tournament championships from other starting positions.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 8
0 titles from 2 superlider finishes = 0%, rarest superlider among grandes, last was Clausura 2008
Source ↗ - Grokplace 10
Zero titles from two first-place finishes — both ended in quarterfinal exits.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 10
Won all three of their short-tournament titles from seeds 2, 3, and 8, failing to convert either of their rare campaigns as top seed.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 9
0 for 2 — both superlíder campaigns died in the quarterfinals (Clausura 2008, Apertura 2011); Chivas' 12 titles all came from behind the leader.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 10
Two first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — both of Guadalajara's short-era league titles came from outside the top seed.
Source ↗ - Qwenplace 9
The Rebaño Sagrado has only led the league twice in the short-tournament era and failed to lift the trophy both times.
Source ↗
7 AIs put it here - 10
Pumas UNAM
0 for 2, and both ended in a lost final: Apertura 2015 to Tigres on penalties, Clausura 2026 to third-seeded Cruz Azul.
Included it: Claude, Meta, Grok, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, MiMo, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 9 · Meta: 9 · Grok: 9 · Kimi: 10 · DeepSeek: 9 · Qwen: 10
What each AI noted 6
- Claudeplace 9
Led in Apertura 2015 and lost the final to Tigres on penalties; both of its leader titles are from the long-tournament era.
Source ↗ - Metaplace 9
0 titles from 2 short-era superlider finishes = 0%, but 5 total including 1990-91 championship long era, new record 36 pts Clausura 2026
Source ↗ - Grokplace 9
Zero titles from two first-place finishes — Apertura 2015 and Clausura 2026 both ended as runners-up.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 10
0 for 2 — and the freshest wound: superlíder of Clausura 2026, Pumas lost the final to Cruz Azul in May 2026.
- DeepSeekplace 9
Two first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — the latest wound is Clausura 2026, when Pumas led the table and lost the final to third-seeded Cruz Azul.
- Qwenplace 10
The Universitarios finished first in Apertura 2015 and Clausura 2026, but both campaigns ended in Liguilla heartbreak.
Source ↗
6 AIs put it here
02Worth knowing
What the AIs noticed while building the list.
Second place has been the better seed to hold: 17 short-tournament titles for the sublíder, against 10 for the leader as of Clausura 2024.
The size of the 'curse' depends on what you count. Counting only short tournaments, Fox gets 11 leader-champions in 55 (20%) through Apertura 2024. Counting all eras since 1970-71, Goal and Claro get about 30% (24 of 79).
Being dominant is no shield. Cruz Azul's record 42 points in Apertura 2024 still ended in a semifinal loss to América.
03How we counted
In plain words, no formulas.
1The question
Top 10 Liga MX Clubs by How Often Finishing First Has Turned Into a Title
2Why this topic
Setting the regular-season record against the Liguilla record answers the long-running 'curse of the superlíder' debate club by club, and no single table holds that answer.
3Where it applies
Liga MX (Mexico), short tournaments from 1996 to the present
4What we looked at
- Number of first-place regular-season finishes (superlíder) in the short-tournament era
- Number of titles won after entering the Liguilla as the No. 1 seed
- Conversion rate: titles won as top seed divided by first-place finishes
- Wikipedia – Anexo: Tabla de líderes generales de la Liga MX — Every regular-season leader by tournament and how far it went in the Liguilla (champion, runner-up, semifinal, quarterfinal)
- OneFootball – lideratos in the short-tournament era — First-place regular-season finishes by club through Apertura 2025
- AS México – La maldición del súper líder ya está sepultada — Tournaments in which the regular-season leader won the title, through Apertura 2025
- Fox Deportes – superlíder table — First-place finishes and titles won as No. 1 seed by club, short tournaments through Apertura 2024
- MXFútbol – historial de líderes en torneos cortos — First-place finishes and titles won from first place by club, through Clausura 2025 (an earlier snapshot)
5Who ranked
The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, MiMo, Kimi, Wenxin, DeepSeek, Qwen.
6How the places were set
The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.
04Each AI's own list
🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Toluca (Verano 1998 to Apertura 2025)
The only club with five titles as top seed: three in a row under Meza (Verano 1998-2000), then back-to-back in 2025 – and no known failure as leader.
Source ↗ - 2Pachuca (Clausura 2006 and 2007)
Back-to-back titles as top seed in 2006 and 2007, and the club has also won as sublíder (Clausura 2016).
Source ↗ - 3Club América (1996 to present)
Most first places in the short era (10) but only 3 titles, so a 30% rate – the volume leader, not the efficiency leader.
Source ↗ - 4León (Guardianes/Apertura 2020)
One first place, one title: a perfect record, but from a single data point.
Source ↗ - 5Santos Laguna (Clausura 2012)
Won as top seed in 2012 but lost the 2021 final to a leading Cruz Azul – and has three titles as sublíder.
Source ↗ - 6Cruz Azul (Guardianes 2021)
Led the table 14 times across all eras but won only 5 of them, only one in the short era.
Source ↗ - 7Tigres UANL
Six short-tournament titles, none of them won from first place.
Source ↗ - 8Monterrey
Four first places in the short era (as of 2023) and no title from any of them.
Source ↗ - 9Pumas UNAM
Led in Apertura 2015 and lost the final to Tigres on penalties; both of its leader titles are from the long-tournament era.
Source ↗ - 10Veracruz (Apertura 2004)
Led the 2004 table and went out in the quarterfinals to a Pumas side that finished ninth and won the title.
Source ↗
What Claude noticed
Second place has won more short-tournament titles (17) than first place (10, as of Clausura 2024), so being sublíder has been the best seed to hold.
The leader won four of the last five Liguillas (América twice, Toluca twice), and only Cruz Azul in Apertura 2024 fell.
Toluca won its last two titles as leader, in Clausura 2025 (2-0 over América) and Apertura 2025 (penalties, 9-8, against Tigres).
Pumas won Apertura 2004 from ninth place, the only title from outside the top eight.
🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by ChatGPT alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Toluca — Liga MX, Mexico
Five successful superlíder campaigns: the old Verano dynasty returned in 2025 and won twice in a row.
Source ↗ - 2América — Liga MX, Mexico
The most frequent table-topper in the published comparison has also converted three of its ten leads into titles.
Source ↗ - 3Pachuca — Liga MX, Mexico
Four first-place finishes produced two championships: a 50% conversion rate in the published historical sample.
Source ↗ - 4León — Liga MX, Mexico
Three reported first-place finishes, one championship, and a title-winning run that helped change the modern narrative.
Source ↗ - 5Santos Laguna — Liga MX, Mexico
Three reported first-place finishes and one successful conversion, including the rare title won under a replacement coach.
Source ↗ - 6Cruz Azul — Liga MX, Mexico
Seven first-place finishes but only one superlíder title: the largest gap between regular-season frequency and conversion among the successful clubs.
Source ↗ - 7Tigres UANL — Liga MX, Mexico
Five reported first-place finishes and zero championships as superlíder: a strong club with a strikingly empty conversion column.
Source ↗ - 8Monterrey — Liga MX, Mexico
Four reported superlíder finishes and no titles as the No. 1 seed, despite being a major postseason contender.
Source ↗ - 9Morelia — Liga MX, Mexico
Two first-place finishes, no superlíder championships in the published comparison: a brief peak without a title conversion.
Source ↗ - 10Chivas Guadalajara — Liga MX, Mexico
Two first-place finishes and no title as superlíder, although Guadalajara has won short-tournament championships from other starting positions.
Source ↗
What ChatGPT noticed
Toluca is the clearest conversion specialist. Its three early titles came in consecutive Verano tournaments, and it later added Clausura 2025 and Apertura 2025. That makes the historical curse look less like a permanent law than a trend that can reverse when a club sustains its superiority through the playoffs.
América has the most reported first-place finishes in the published club comparison, at ten, but its 30% baseline conversion rate trails Toluca and Pachuca. Frequency of dominance and ability to finish the job are separate accomplishments.
The supposed curse is period-dependent. AS USA reports that leaders won only seven tournaments from Invierno 1996 through Apertura 2019, but six of nine tournaments in a later five-year stretch. The newer run is too strong to ignore, although it does not erase the earlier pattern.
The champion does not need to have finished first. Santos Laguna, Cruz Azul, América, Toluca and Tigres have all won championships from second place in the regular-season table. The Liguilla rewards postseason execution, not just the regular-season ranking.
🇺🇸 Meta10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Meta alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Pachuca
2 titles from 4 superlíder finishes = 50% conversion, only back-to-back superlíder champions (Clausura 2006 and Clausura 2007)
Source ↗ - 2Toluca
Most titles as superlíder in short era: 3 crowns from 8 finishes = 37.5%, first club to break curse in Verano 1998
Source ↗ - 3Club América
3 titles from 10 superlider finishes = 30%, only club to convert back-to-back as No.1 (Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024)
Source ↗ - 4Santos Laguna
1 title from 3 superlider finishes = 33.3%, Clausura 2012 title after Apertura 2007 semifinal exit as No.1
Source ↗ - 5Club León
1 title from 3 superlider finishes = 33.3%, Apertura 2020 champion after record 41-point Clausura 2019 collapse
Source ↗ - 6Cruz Azul
1 title from 8 superlider finishes = 12.5%, worst conversion among big clubs but broke 23-year title drought as No.1 in Guardianes 2021
Source ↗ - 7Monterrey
0 titles from 4 superlider finishes = 0%, lost two finals as No.1 (Clausura 2016 vs Pachuca, Apertura 2017 vs Tigres)
Source ↗ - 8Guadalajara Chivas
0 titles from 2 superlider finishes = 0%, rarest superlider among grandes, last was Clausura 2008
Source ↗ - 9Pumas UNAM
0 titles from 2 short-era superlider finishes = 0%, but 5 total including 1990-91 championship long era, new record 36 pts Clausura 2026
Source ↗ - 10Necaxa
0 titles from 1 superlider finish = 0%, very first short-tournament superlider Invierno 1996 and first victim of curse
Source ↗
What Meta noticed
Second place is king: sublíder has 17 championships in short tournaments vs 11 for superlíder, so finishing first is statistically worse than finishing second
Toluca is the only club with 3 superlider titles (Verano 1998, 1999, 2000) and was the first to break curse in short era
Pachuca back-to-back superlider titles Clausura 2006 and Clausura 2007 is the only consecutive superlider champion pair in short era
Cruz Azul had 8 superlider finishes but only 1 conversion in Guardianes 2021, illustrating maldicion del superlider debate among fans
🇺🇸 Grok10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Grok alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Toluca
Five titles from eight first-place finishes — the highest conversion rate by a wide margin in the short-tournament era.
Source ↗ - 2Pachuca
Two titles from four first-place finishes — a clean 50% rate that still stands as elite.
Source ↗ - 3Club América
Three titles from ten first-place finishes — the most superlíder appearances, with a solid 30% conversion that recent years improved.
Source ↗ - 4Santos Laguna
One title from three first-place finishes — the Clausura 2012 triumph remains their sole conversion.
Source ↗ - 5León
One title from three first-place finishes — Guardianes 2020 was a complete regular-season-to-final success.
Source ↗ - 6Cruz Azul
One title from eight (or nine) first-place finishes — the lowest conversion among clubs with multiple superlíderes.
Source ↗ - 7Monterrey
Zero titles from four first-place finishes — reached finals as superlíder but never converted.
Source ↗ - 8Tigres UANL
Zero titles from five first-place finishes — frequent superlíder but never the champion from the top seed.
Source ↗ - 9Pumas UNAM
Zero titles from two first-place finishes — Apertura 2015 and Clausura 2026 both ended as runners-up.
Source ↗ - 10Guadalajara (Chivas)
Zero titles from two first-place finishes — both ended in quarterfinal exits.
Source ↗
What Grok noticed
The so-called curse has largely faded in the last five years: six of nine tournaments from Guardianes 2020 through Apertura 2025 were won by the regular-season leader.
From Invierno 1996 through Apertura 2019, the superlíder won the title only seven times; Toluca alone accounts for five of the all-time short-tournament conversions.
América has the most first-place finishes in short tournaments (10) but converted only three; its recent bicampeonato as superlíder in 2023–24 improved the historical rate.
Second-place finishers have historically won more short-tournament titles than first-place teams (around 17 vs. roughly 13 as of mid-2025), underscoring the knockout format’s unpredictability.
🇺🇸 Gemini10 places
The same question, answered by Gemini alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Toluca
Broke the superstition early by converting 3 top seeds into titles in just five tournaments between 1998 and 2000 under Enrique Meza.
- 2Club América
Holds the league record with 10 superlíder finishes and became the first back-to-back champion as top seed in Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024.
- 3Pachuca
Boasts the highest conversion efficiency in Mexico, turning 2 of its 4 regular-season triumphs into trophies in Clausura 2006 and Clausura 2007.
- 4Santos Laguna
Turned a dominant Clausura 2012 campaign into a championship victory against Monterrey to become northern Mexico's first top-seed champion.
- 5Club León
Redeemed their record-setting 41-point heartbreak of 2019 by capturing the Guardianes 2020 crown wire-to-wire.
- 6Cruz Azul
Endured seven painful top-seed knockouts before finally conquering both their 23-year title drought and the curse in Guardianes 2021.
Source ↗ - 7Tigres UANL
Built a dominant 2010s dynasty yet won all six of their short-tournament titles from lower seeds, going 0-for-5 when entering as No. 1.
- 8C.F. Monterrey
Topped the regular season four separate times only to endure agonizing home final collapses as top seed in 2016 and 2017.
- 9Club Tijuana
Dominated back-to-back regular seasons in Apertura 2016 and Clausura 2017, only to be promptly knocked out in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Source ↗ - 10Chivas de Guadalajara
Won all three of their short-tournament titles from seeds 2, 3, and 8, failing to convert either of their rare campaigns as top seed.
Source ↗
🇨🇳 Kimi10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Kimi alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Deportivo Toluca (Mexico)
5 titles from 8 superlíder finishes — a 62.5% conversion no other club comes close to, including three straight as No. 1 seed in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Source ↗ - 2Club América (Mexico)
10 superlíder finishes — the most in the short era — and 7 collapses to match; when they do convert, they go back-to-back (2023, 2024).
Source ↗ - 3C.F. Pachuca (Mexico)
Converted back-to-back superlíder runs in Clausura 2006 and Clausura 2007 — 2 titles from just 4 first-place finishes, a 50% strike rate.
Source ↗ - 4Santos Laguna (Mexico)
1 title from 3 superlíder finishes — Clausura 2012 remains the club's only conversion, and its reward was ending a 6-year drought.
Source ↗ - 5Club León (Mexico)
Waited 23 years: superlíder and runner-up in Invierno 1997, finally crowned as superlíder in Guardianes 2020 — 1 of 3 converted.
- 6Cruz Azul (Mexico)
8 superlíder finishes — tied second-most in the era — but only 1 title: five of the seven failures ended in the quarterfinals, the statistical heart of the 'curse'.
Source ↗ - 7Tigres UANL (Mexico)
0 for 5 — the most superlíder finishes of any club never crowned; twice they lost the final as the No. 1 seed, both times to Pachuca (2001, 2003).
Source ↗ - 8C.F. Monterrey (Mexico)
0 for 4 as superlíder — three of the four failures ended as runner-up (2016, 2017), the cruellest near-miss record in the ranking.
Source ↗ - 9C.D. Guadalajara (Chivas, Mexico)
0 for 2 — both superlíder campaigns died in the quarterfinals (Clausura 2008, Apertura 2011); Chivas' 12 titles all came from behind the leader.
Source ↗ - 10Pumas UNAM (Mexico)
0 for 2 — and the freshest wound: superlíder of Clausura 2026, Pumas lost the final to Cruz Azul in May 2026.
What Kimi noticed
The curse is real by the numbers: of 59 superlíderes in the short-tournament era (Invierno 1996–Clausura 2026, excluding the cancelled Clausura 2020), only 13 were crowned — a 22% conversion rate, and roughly 3 of every 4 regular-season leaders go home without the trophy.
But the curse has flipped recently: 6 of the 12 superlíderes since 2020 won the title (50%) — León 2020, Cruz Azul 2021, América 2023 and 2024, Toluca twice in 2025 — after only 7 conversions in the first 47 short tournaments (1996–2019).
Finishing second has historically been a better title route than finishing first: runner-up seeds have won 17 short-tournament titles, per ESPN's 2024 analysis — Santos alone won three titles as the No. 2 seed.
Toluca is the statistical anti-curse: its 62.5% conversion (5 of 8) is built on the only superlíder tricampeonato in league history (Verano 1998, 1999, 2000) and a 2025 sweep in which it topped both regular seasons and won both Liguillas.
🇨🇳 Wenxin10 places · 2 notes
The same question, answered by Wenxin alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Club León (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
8 superlíder titles out of ~12 finishes — a 67% strike rate that shatters the curse narrative.
Source ↗ - 2Club América (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
14+ superlíder crowns but only ~6 titles earned as top seed — the biggest volume, middling conversion.
Source ↗ - 3Tigres UANL (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
7 superlíder titles in ~11 attempts — 64% conversion, the modern gold standard.
Source ↗ - 4Guadalajara / Chivas (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
7 superlíder crowns but only 2 titles as No. 1 seed — the classic curse case.
Source ↗ - 5Santos Laguna (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
6 superlíder finishes and 4 titles as top seed — a 67% conversion that quietly rivals León.
Source ↗ - 6Cruz Azul (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
5 superlíder titles in 19 attempts — only 2 conversions, the 'eternal runner-up' of first place.
Source ↗ - 7Toluca (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
5 superlíder crowns and 3 title conversions — steady, underrated efficiency.
Source ↗ - 8Pachuca (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
5 superlíder finishes and 2 titles as No. 1 — good but not dominant from first.
Source ↗ - 9Monterrey / Rayados (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
6 superlíder crowns and 3 title conversions — a 50% rate that hides pain in recent misses.
Source ↗ - 10Pumas UNAM (Liga MX Superlíder 1996–2026)
5 superlíder finishes but only 1 title from top — the most dramatic fall-from-grace story.
Source ↗
What Wenxin noticed
The 'maldición del superlíder' is real but overstated: across all clubs in the short-tournament era, superlíderes win the title roughly 40-45% of the time — far better than a coin flip, but far from automatic.
Cruz Azul leads in raw superlíder finishes but has the worst conversion among top clubs (~22%), fueling decades of fan frustration that predates the short-tournament era.
🇨🇳 DeepSeek10 places · 3 notes
The same question, answered by DeepSeek alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Toluca
Five titles from eight first-place finishes (62.5%) — the best conversion in the short-tournament era and the only club with top-seed titles in both the 1990s and the 2020s.
Source ↗ - 2Pachuca
Two titles from four first-place finishes (50%) — the only club other than Toluca to convert multiple top seeds before 2020.
Source ↗ - 3Santos Laguna
One title from three first-place finishes (33.3%) — the 2012 Clausura is the only top-seed title in a nine-tournament stretch between 2007 and 2014.
Source ↗ - 4León
One title from three first-place finishes (33.3%) — Guardianes 2020 made León the first top seed to win in nine short tournaments.
Source ↗ - 5América
Three titles from ten first-place finishes (30%) — more top-seed titles than anyone except Toluca, yet seven of those ten Liguillas ended without the trophy.
Source ↗ - 6Cruz Azul
One title from eight first-place finishes (12.5%) — the worst conversion among clubs with at least five superlíder seasons, and the modern symbol of the curse.
Source ↗ - 7Tigres UANL
Five first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — the most superlíder seasons without a conversion in the short-tournament era.
Source ↗ - 8Monterrey
Four first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — including the 2017 final loss to Tigres after topping the table.
Source ↗ - 9Pumas UNAM
Two first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — the latest wound is Clausura 2026, when Pumas led the table and lost the final to third-seeded Cruz Azul.
- 10Guadalajara (Chivas)
Two first-place finishes, zero top-seed titles — both of Guadalajara's short-era league titles came from outside the top seed.
Source ↗
What DeepSeek noticed
The trend has reversed sharply: from Invierno 1996 through Apertura 2019, only seven top seeds won the title; since 2020, six of nine top seeds have won. That is why some outlets now say the curse is buried.
Historically, finishing second has been more profitable than finishing first: second place has produced 17 short-tournament titles, first place 11 through Clausura 2025. The knockout format has often rewarded the chaser, not the leader.
Cruz Azul's record 42 points in Apertura 2024 still ended in a semifinal exit against América — the sharpest recent example that regular-season dominance is not a playoff shield.
🇨🇳 Qwen10 places · 2 notes
The same question, answered by Qwen alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Toluca
The Diablos Rojos boast a stunning 62.5% conversion rate, claiming 5 titles from 8 regular-season crowns.
Source ↗ - 2América
Las Águilas lead the league with 10 superlíder finishes and have recently conquered the curse to win 3 championships.
Source ↗ - 3Pachuca
Los Tuzos are the most efficient leaders, converting half of their 4 first-place finishes into silverware.
Source ↗ - 4Santos Laguna
The Guerreros have reached the summit 3 times, securing their fourth star during the Clausura 2012 campaign.
Source ↗ - 5León
La Fiera broke a decades-long championship drought by finishing first and winning the Guardianes 2020 tournament.
Source ↗ - 6Cruz Azul
La Máquina is the ultimate victim of the curse, leading the table 8 times but only managing a single title in 2021.
Source ↗ - 7Tigres UANL
The Auriazules have suffered heartbreak 5 separate times, holding the worst conversion rate among clubs with multiple superlíder finishes.
Source ↗ - 8Monterrey
Rayados has dominated 4 regular seasons, including recent Apertura finishes, but always crashes out in the Liguilla.
Source ↗ - 9Chivas de Guadalajara
The Rebaño Sagrado has only led the league twice in the short-tournament era and failed to lift the trophy both times.
Source ↗ - 10Pumas UNAM
The Universitarios finished first in Apertura 2015 and Clausura 2026, but both campaigns ended in Liguilla heartbreak.
Source ↗
What Qwen noticed
The 'curse' is statistically rooted: historically, only about 30% of teams that finish first in the regular season go on to win the championship, making the No. 1 seed more of a trap than a guarantee.
The format itself is the trap: Liga MX's regular season is a marathon that rewards consistency, but the Liguilla is a knockout sprint where fatigue, a single bad game, or injuries can end the best team's run.