At the beginning of the 90s, the Rayados fans were optimistic about the team's future. 

Grupo ABACO had started its relationship with the team as a sponsor in the 1989-1990 season and, starting with the 1990-1991 season, took control of the Club and put together a great team to fight for the title.

Manuel Negrete and Carlos Hermosillo, two of the best Mexican players of the moment, and Alejandro Hisis, a Chilean national team player, arrived. Pedro García took over the technical direction of this powerful squad that became a candidate for the title.

 

 

The Monterrey team that won, liked and scored goals was nicknamed “La Aplanadora” and finished in second place in the general standings, but it didn't have good playoffs.

At the end of the season, the then Mexican soccer champion coach Miguel Mejía Baron arrived on the bench,  bringing in players such as Memo Vázquez and Luis Antonio “Cadáver” Valdez. 

On Sunday, September 8, 1992, the Rayados defeated the Cobras of Ciudad de Juárez 4-2 at the Estadio Tecnológico with braces from Germán Ricardo Martellotto and Guillermo Vázquez, to win the first Cup title in their history.

 

 

Rayados renewed the squad with Mexican players such as Porfirio Jiménez and José Antonio “Tato” Noriega, as well as Argentinian Sergio Verdirame, Brazilian Carlos Alberto Bianchezi “Careca” and Paraguayan goalkeeper Rubén “La Bomba” Ruiz Díaz.

Mejia Barón’s Monterrey managed to play 16 games without knowing the defeat, but in the middle of the 1992-1993 season the coach left his position to lead the Mexican National Team.

His place in Rayados was taken by his assistant Hugo Hernández. After defeating the UAG Tecos in the Quarterfinals, Rayados eliminated América in a hart-stopping Semifinal. 

In the Final, Rayados lost to Atlante and was the runner-up. The Rayados fans encouraged the team until the end and recognized the rival with applause during the olympic lap.

 

 

In August 1993, Rayados qualified for the final quadrangular of the Concacaf Winners' Cup, which was played in Los Angeles, California. 

With a brace from Sergio Verdirame and goals from Gerardo Jiménez and Luis Hernández, Monterrey defeated Luis Angel Firpo of El Salvador 4-3 on August 1, 1993, to win their first international title.

 

The second half of the decade was complicated. The business group that managed the Club faced economic problems, which ended up having an impact on sports.

Monterrey was saved from relegation in a dramatic match played on May 9, 1999, against Puebla. The match ended in a draw and the Puebla Club was relegated on goal difference.

Despite this critical moment in La Liga, Rayados qualified for the Copa Libertadores and on March 25, 1999, it became the first Mexican team to win as a visitor team in the South American competition, defeating a historic team at the mythical Estadio Centenario: Nacional Team of Uruguay.

 

 

After this uncertain period, good news arrived for the Rayados fans: FEMSA, a Monterrey-based company with more than 100 years of successful existence, received the administration of Monterrey.

FEMSA rescued the Club from economic difficulties and strengthened it in terms of sports, administration and institutions.

In 1999, the new management hired the famous Spanish coach Benito Floro, who had coached Real Madrid. 

The outlook for the new century looked encouraging for the Rayados fans. A new era was beginning.