View source for Francisco Javier Cruz

{{short description|Mexican footballer (born 1966)}}
{{family name hatnote|Cruz|Jiménez|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name=Francisco Javier Cruz
|image= File:Fr cruz.png
|image_size= 
|caption= Cruz in 2017
|fullname=Francisco Javier Cruz Jiménez
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1966|5|24|df=y}}
|birth_place=[[Cedral, San Luis Potosí]], Mexico
|death_date=
|death_place=
|height={{convert|1.71|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
|position= [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
|years1=1983–1988|clubs1=[[C.F. Monterrey|Monterrey]] |caps1=117|goals1=37
|years2=1988–1989|clubs2=[[CD Logroñés|Logroñés]]     |caps2=23 |goals2=1
|years3=1989–1992|clubs3=[[C.F. Monterrey|Monterrey]] |caps3=67 |goals3=13
|years4=1992–1995|clubs4=[[Tigres UANL]]              |caps4=48 |goals4=9
|years5=1995–1996|clubs5=[[Atlante F.C.|Atlante]]     |caps5=23 |goals5=1
|years6=1996–1997|clubs6=[[Tigres UANL]]              |caps6=10 |goals6=0
|years7=1997–1998|clubs7=[[PFC CSKA Sofia]]           |caps7=10 |goals7=0
|years8=1998–1999|clubs8=[[San Antonio Pumas]]        |caps8=   |goals8=2
|years9=1999–2000|clubs9=[[C.F. Monterrey|Monterrey]] |caps9=5  |goals9=1
|totalcaps=|totalgoals=
|nationalyears1=1986–1993|nationalteam1=[[Mexico national football team|Mexico]]|nationalcaps1=18|nationalgoals1=2
|manageryears1=|managerclubs1=
}}

'''Francisco Javier Cruz Jiménez''' (born 24 May 1966) is a Mexican former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played for [[C.F. Monterrey|Monterrey]] and [[Tigres UANL]], becoming one of the few players to be successful in both professional teams from [[Monterrey]]. He is nicknamed ''El Abuelo'', which means "The Grandfather".

He also played for a short time in [[Spanish Third Division|Spain]], for [[CD Logroñés]]

He scored many goals for both Rayados and Tigres, even in the [[Clásico Regiomontano]], where he became an idol of the city. Because of this, he is loved by fans of both teams, a rarity in the competing atmosphere of Monterrey.

==Early life==
Born in [[Cedral, San Luis Potosí|Cedral]], Cruz moved to Monterrey at the age of 5. Cruz is the 8th youngest of 10 children.<ref name="alacron-interview">{{cite interview |last=Cruz |first=Francisco Javier |subject-link= |interviewer= Javier Alarcón |title= "EL ABUELO" CRUZ y JAVIER ALARCÓN |work=Entre Camaradas |date= 4 October 2020 |publisher=El Canal de Javier Alarcón |location= |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=584KHxGlf0Q |access-date=18 November 2021}}</ref> Although Cruz demonstrated a passion and skill for the sport, his dad discouraged him from pursuing a career in football.<ref name="alacron-interview" />

==Club career==
===C.F. Monterrey===
He was instrumental in the conquest of the first championship for Rayados. Topscorer for that Mexico 86 tournament (tied with Sergio Lira from Tampico with 14 goals). He also served the assist to Sergio "Alvin" Perez's goal that kept the team from being relegated in May 1999.

===Tigres UANL===
He played with Tigres UANL for a while, where he scored many goals. He was instrumental in returning the team to the [[Liga MX|First Division]] after its privatization.

In April 1998, he signed with the [[San Antonio Pumas]] of the [[USISL]].<ref>''All-new Pumas change everything'' San Antonio Express-News - Friday, April 3, 1998</ref>

==International career==

[[File:Cruz vs cabanas.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Cruz (in white) and [[Roberto Cabañas|Cabañas]] during Mexico's [[1986 FIFA World Cup]] match against [[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]]]]
"El Abuelo" Cruz also played several games with [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]], including the [[1986 FIFA World Cup]] quarterfinal against [[Germany national football team|West Germany]] in the [[Estadio Universitario (UANL)|Estadio Universitario]] of Monterrey. In extra time, he scored a goal that the referee annulled due to an offside ruling involving another player. The game ended on penalty kicks with Mexico eliminated.

He missed the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]] due to an injury which he suffered by scoring the goal that qualified Mexico into the competition.

{{International goals header}}
|-
| 1. || May 13, 1987 || [[Toluca]], [[Mexico]] || {{fb|BER}} || 6–0 || Win || Olympic Games Qualification
|- 
| 2. || February 10, 1993 || [[Monterrey]], Mexico || {{fb|ROM}} || 2–0 || Win || Friendly
|- 
| 3. || May 9, 1993 || [[Toronto]], [[Canada]] || {{fb|CAN}} || 2–1 || Win || [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)|1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|}

==Retirement==
He retired as a player on May 9, 1999.

As of April 16, 2006. He tried to get a Team as a coach, but he never got to be one, He also started working with Tigres UANL, as a recruiter but he let that down also, According to an interview, he aspires to coach a team in the [[Liga de Ascenso]].<ref>http://www.tabascohoy.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=102999 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Cruz gave himself the nickname ''El Abuelo'' in his teenage years in honor of his late grandfather.<ref name="alacron-interview" />

In an interview, Cruz claimed to have fell into a depression following his retirement. His mental state worsened following the death of his mother due to a heart attack in 2004 and his father's death the year later.<ref name="alacron-interview" /> Shortly after the death of his parents, Cruz developed an eating disorder and reached a weight of 313 [[Pounds (mass)|pounds]].<ref name="alacron-interview" />  Cruz underwent [[gastric bypass surgery]] after being diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes.<ref name="alacron-interview" />

Cruz has three daughters from a previous marriage.<ref name="alacron-interview" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{NFT|14532<!-- /Francisco_Javier_Cruz -->}}

{{Primera División de México top scorers}}
{{Mexico Squad 1986 World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Francisco}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from San Luis Potosí]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Mexico men's under-20 international footballers]]
[[Category:Mexico men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1986 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:C.F. Monterrey players]]
[[Category:CD Logroñés footballers]]
[[Category:Tigres UANL footballers]]
[[Category:Atlante F.C. footballers]]
[[Category:San Antonio Pumas players]]
[[Category:Liga MX players]]
[[Category:La Liga players]]
[[Category:USISL players]]
[[Category:Mexican expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in Spain]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]]
[[Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Mexican men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:20th-century Mexican sportsmen]]