The club is one of the oldest in the league; the club was founded on July 8, 1945 under the name Club Deportivo Tampico, was very successful in its beginnings, winning its first and only Mexican Primera División title in 1952–53 tournament as well as two Copa México titles in 1960 and 1961. The club spent most of the 1970s in the Segunda División de México after being relegated in the early 1960s. In 1977 the club bought out the Atlético Potosino franchise to move it to Tampico in order for the club to have once again first division action.