Cruzeiro Esporte Clube (commonly known as "Cruzeiro") was founded on January 2, 1921, and is a professional football club located in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cruzeiro is one of the most successful clubs in Brazil, having won a record 6 Copa do Brasil titles and 38 Campeonato Mineiro titles.
Cruzeiro has a long-standing fierce rivalry with Atlético Mineiro. The club has produced many renowned players for national World Cup squads, including Brazil's Wilson Piazza, Tostão, Ronaldo, Dida, and Rivaldo. Foreign players such as Argentina's Roberto Perfumo, Juan Pablo Sorín, and Uruguay's Jorge de Alarcón have also been key players from Cruzeiro to the World Cup stage.
On April 3, 1921, the team made its debut in a friendly match, winning 2-0 against New Lima United, and in their first official match, they defeated Atlético Mineiro 3-0. The 1960s and 1970s were the club's golden years, winning the Minas Gerais State Championship five times in a row and claiming their first Copa Libertadores title in 1976. The 1980s saw a decline, with only two state championships won and no participation in the Copa Libertadores. The 1990s marked a new chapter, with the team winning at least one title every year for 15 consecutive years, and in 2013-2014, they won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A title twice in a row, becoming the second club in Brazil to achieve this feat.
In 2009, Cruzeiro reached the Copa Libertadores final but ultimately lost 1-2 to Estudiantes de La Plata. In the 2011 season, the team narrowly avoided relegation with a 6-1 victory over Atlético Mineiro in the final round. In 2014, the team not only defended their Campeonato Brasileiro title but also won the Minas Gerais State Championship with an undefeated record. In 2021, businessman Ronaldo purchased the club for 400 million reais, and in April 2024, he sold the club to businessman Pedro Lourenço for 500 million reais, marking a significant change in club ownership.