Pumas manager Efrain Juarez embraced his mother and children at Estadio Olimpico Universitario on May 24, 2026, before the Liga MX Clausura 2026 second-leg final against Cruz Azul.
The pre-game ritual unfolded as fans cheered Juarez, who set a record-breaking points total with the club this season.
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The club aims to end a 15-year domestic title drought, having last won the championship in the Clausura 2011 tournament.
Either Juarez or Cruz Azul manager Joel Huiqui will become the first Mexican coach to win the league title in six years, following Nacho Ambriz with Leon in 2020.
Juarez previously secured the Clausura 2009 championship with Pumas as a player under manager Tuca Ferretti.
The current manager reached the final after Pumas secured a 1-0 semifinal victory over Pachuca, advancing due to their superior regular season seeding after a tied aggregate score.
Following the semifinal victory, Juarez bypassed security protocols to celebrate with his son in the stands.
The manager addressed critics during the post-match press conference regarding his team's strategic approach and performance during the away leg of the semifinal series.
"These moments (of pressure) are the ones I enjoyed the most. When everything is against you, that's when you show your character.
Today everything is happiness, but in those moments it's the character as a coach and person," said Juarez.
The manager expressed appreciation for the external skepticism directed at his squad during their postseason run.
