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Image credit: Super Clasico

Liga MX sides CD Guadalajara and Club America will meet at Solider Field in Chicago for this year’s Super Clasico, the two teams and PRIMETIME Sports announced today. The match will be held Sunday, Sept. 8 at Solider Field at a to-be-determined time.

The game will also serve as a celebration of Mexican Independence Day, with the holiday falling shortly after the match on Sept. 16. Several fun activities for fans to engage in will occur in the Chicago area in the build up to the match, with details on them to be released closer to game day.

The 2018 Super Clasico took place at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sept. 9, with the two clubs settling for a 1-1 draw. Isaac Brizuela opened the scoring for Chivas in the first half and Club America’s Guido Rodriguez equalized in the second. More than 60,000 supporters attended the match.

Not to be confused with the historic Superclasico derby played between Argentine sides Boca Juniors and River Plate, the Super Clasico has pitted the two most supported Mexican teams against each other since the rivalry began in 1926.

In the latest Liga MX Clausura tournament, Club America finished fifth in the standings, while Chivas missed out on the playoffs after finishing 14th. The Apertura kicks off July 19.

Tickets for the match can be purchased through Ticketmaster beginning July 17 for the general public, with pre-sale available July 15.

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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Photo credit: Jamie Smed/Soc Takes

Another year, another failure of MLS clubs in the Concacaf Champions League. Sporting Kansas City was the last American hope in the 2019 edition of the North American confederation club tournament. However, they were humiliated in the first leg of the semifinal by Monterrey, making it almost impossible to reach the final match.

Kansas City is one of the most balanced teams in American soccer. The process of Peter Vermes is stable, and Kansas City has won an MLS Cup and an Open Cup under his leadership. Sporting KC grew through the knock out rounds in Concacaf, but the momentum wasn’t enough to defeat Monterrey. Even worse, it wasn’t good enough to compete during both matches of the semifinal.

The frustration of MLS in CCL play reached every kind of level, and even Sports Illustrated senior writer Grant Wahl tweeted to “be better, MLS.”

Be better, MLS

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) April 5, 2019

This sentiment of frustration begins with the fact that the last American club to win a CCL championship was in 2000 when the LA Galaxy defeated Honduran side Club Deportivo Olimpia. And since 2006, Liga MX teams have appropriated the tournament.

So, why is this happening?

MLS will be the most potent league — in wages and infrastructure — in North and South America. They have invested in talent to boost the audience and put on a show. Nevertheless, they haven’t equaled the Liga MX.

LA Galaxy has Zlatan Ibrahimovic, LAFC has Carlos Vela, Toronto has Michael Bradley and Atlanta has Josef Martinez, players who could be part of any league in North and South America. But the fact that the rest of the team is not at the same level changes the playing field, and that is stated in the value of the clubs.

For example, during the match against Kansas City, Monterrey substituted Colombian international Dorlan Pabon for Maxi Meza, an Argentinean international who played at the 2018 World Cup. According to the numbers of Transfermarkt, most of the American teams that participated in the tournament had a lower value than the Mexican squads.

Besides Atlanta United, valued at $67 million by Transfermarkt, the Houston Dynamo, Kansas City and New York Red Bulls don’t reach $26 million in estimated squad market value. The two finalists, Tigres and Monterrey, reach $82 million and $93 million in financial estimation, respectively.

The median footballer matters a lot, and the average MLS player has a lower level than the average player in the Liga MX. Tigres has Andre Pierre Gignac, a former French international who is surrounded by Eduardo Vargas, a Chilean international, and Enner Valencia, an Ecuadorian International. And behind them are Guido Pizarro and Nahuel Guzman, both Argentinean internationals. Jesus Dueñas, Hugo Ayala, Luis Rodriguez and Carlos Salcedo are all Mexican international players. The base of Tigres is full of very competent players, something that the vast majority of MLS teams don’t have.

Acquiring a better body of a team should be an obligation for American clubs because the talent of the Designated Players won’t reach its max if they don’t have decent associates. MLS will grow; there’s enough investment in infrastructure and DPs.

Nevertheless, if the level of the average player doesn’t increase by hiring more competitive footballers — not necessarily superstars — or by building those players in academies, MLS will continue facing the same fate in the CCL. Abolishing the salary cap and DP rule might be the only way forward for the league to match the depth and balance of the top Liga MX squads.

Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.

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Photo credit: Los Ruidos Del Deporte

Are you intrigued by the Liga MX but haven’t gotten around to following it closely yet? We’ve got you covered. The league features a breathtaking style of play, while its television ratings and average attendance figures regularly dwarf those of MLS.

WHAT IS LIGA MX?

The Liga MX is the Mexican first division tournament. Eighteen teams comprise the league and it follows the FIFA calendar from July to May. Even so, it has two tournaments per year: the Apertura, which goes from July to December, and the Clausura from January to May.

Every tournament has 17 weeks and the best eight teams qualify for the Liguilla, the playoff season. The winner of the Liguilla is the champion of the tournament.

At the end of the two tournaments, one team is relegated to the Asenso MX, the Division II championship, while the best team from the Asenso MX ascends to the Liga MX.

According to the finance website HowMuch.net, the Liga MX is the second-richest soccer league in North and South America after the Brazilian league, the Brasileirao. The most popular teams are America, Chivas, Cruz Azul and Pumas. The tournament has been dominated by Tigres, the most valuable squad in North and South America per Transfermarkt.

But behind popularity, there is good football and an even better atmosphere.

WHICH TEAMS ARE WORTH WATCHING?

Tigres and Monterrey have been the most prominent squads of the last decade, and both are from the same city. They are the teams that spend more money on their rosters and have the most solid projects. Monterrey and Tigres also show an offensive and joyful way to play; you’ll never get bored if these two teams are playing. It’s pure entertainment and very good soccer to witness.

Club America belongs to Televisa and plays in the Estadio Azteca. It is the second most popular team in the league and one of the few teams that can compete with the hierarchy of Tigres and Monterrey. America is a team that fans generally love or hate, with a broad and solid squad that makes it a regular contender for the title.

Cruz Azul is another team from Mexico City, famous because of all the multiple finals lost in the last 15 years. Cruz Azul hasn’t achieved a league title since 1997, although it is a very competitive squad. Cement company Cementos Cruz Azul owns the club. The team wears a blue uniforms and plays at the Estadio Azul.

Forbes Mexico lists CD Guadalajara, commonly known as Chivas, as the most valuable soccer organization in Mexico and fourth-most valuable in North and South America. Chivas is a team that believes in youth, plays in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and is biggest rivals with America. Guadalajara is the only club in Mexico that always has a roster full of Mexicans. It is the team’s philosophy.

Another contender to the title is Club Leon, Landon Donovan’s new team. It is a fast team led by the most effective striker in the league, Mauro Boselli. Club Leon is a magnet for goals. Last year, the Esmeraldas were the third-best offense in the tournament behind mighty Tigres and Monterrey. Games with Club Leon are entertaining because they concede and score.

We cannot forget the teams that have stable projects and a vast inversion behind them. Tijuana, Santos and Queretaro are so-called underdogs, but these three teams have broad rosters to surprise anyone. These three squads have big chances to be part of the playoffs because they have a solid team structure, good managers and offensive variations.

In case curiosity drags you to watch a new league, you should look for the Liga MX, a soccer championship that won’t disappoint.

Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.

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Photo credit: Tony Quinn/Canada Soccer

As the MLS expansion project keeps its track, the American soccer market is gaining the attention of Liga MX assets, coaches, executives and Mexican footballers. The wages, lifestyle and multiculturalism of MLS seduce underpaid talent.

One of the missions of MLS is to attract the attention of the Latino market, especially the Mexican market. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, there are almost 37 million Hispanics of Mexican origin in the United States. And the best way to have control of that specific market is by bidding on the talent that comes from the Liga MX and other Mexican international players.

However, there is much more sports intelligence involved in the selectivity of Liga MX assets arriving at MLS. The 2019-20 transfer window brought new faces, probably unknown to some soccer fans. So, which players will have a better impact in MLS?

Lucas Cavallini  (27) – Vancouver Whitecaps

In five tournaments with Puebla, Cavallini scored a total of 29 goals. Cavallini’s merit was that he converted with one of the worst and least entertaining Mexican teams.

Cavallini will bring better numbers to an offense that scored the fewest goals in the Western Conference in 2019. His physical strength and proficiency inside the box will grant Vancouver the option to play with a satellite and nominal center forward underneath him.

The adaptation will be fast because Cavallini is a Canadian international. But the key relies on the Whitecaps and the effort to surround their new addition with players that will give him goal opportunities.

Prediction: Cavallini will score 12 goals in his first year in MLS.

Lucas Zelarayan (27) – Columbus Crew SC

If the Crew loved Federico Higuain, who was a non-relevant player in the Liga MX, they might fall for Lucas Zelarayan.

Zelarayan was part of the most successful Mexican team of the decade, Tigres. He arrived at Monterrey, Mexico, as the MVP of the Superliga Argentina. “El Chino” probably was the most elegant player in the Liga MX. And even when he was the substitute of players like Rafael Sobis and Eduardo Vargas, Zelarayan responded as expected.

The Tigres fan base liked Zelarayan and were conscious of the amount of talent he had. Nevertheless, it was an extreme luxury for Tigres to have him on the bench.

Columbus Crew SC signed a player with enough talent to surpass Higuain and become the new star of the Crew.

Alan Pulido (28) – Sporting Kansas City

Even if he’s not the most reliable goalscorer, Alan Pulido comes to Sporting KC as the Apertura’s top scorer.

Dynamic and with good touch, Pulido’s role at Chivas for many years relied on the generation of opportunities. Instead of acting as a finisher like Cavallini, Pulido moves with more freedom and easiness. His incorporation will help KC in the organization of frontal football.

Pulido will adapt rapidly to the league; he is a player with enough conditions to appear in the top-10 strikers of the league.

Prediction: Pulido will score 14 goals in his first MLS season.

Chicharito (31) – LA Galaxy

Stu Holden described the arrival of Javier Hernandez as “the biggest signing for MLS since David Beckham.”

In a certain way, he’s entirely right. Chicharito is probably the most popular player in CONCACAF. He’s polite with the press and fans. Hernandez will boost ticket sales — home and away — and sell jerseys, and will be the face of the LA Galaxy and MLS.

However, he’s filling the spot of the most efficient striker in the history of the LA Galaxy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Zlatan converted 53 times in 58 games; he averaged one goal every 93 minutes and was responsible of the 42% of the Galaxy’s goals in the last two seasons. As a comparison, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane scored every 197 and 140 minutes, respectively. It is a massive responsibility.

On the other hand, Hernandez will give the Galaxy more freedom to develop better football; the rest of the squad won’t depend on a static center forward. LA will have much more intensity in the attack and a better building-game process.

Now, the fundamental task for the Galaxy is to surround him with goal opportunities. Hernandez can score, but he cannot generate his goal opportunities. He’s a predator in the box, but if the Galaxy lack offensive creativity, Chicharito will not be very efficient.

Undoubtedly, the Galaxy will be a more competitive squad with Chicharito, because the offensive responsibility won’t rely uniquely on one man.

Prediction: Chicharito will score 18 goals.

Edison Flores (25) – D.C. United

Edison Flores was runner-up in the 2019 Copa America and part of the Peruvian squad that, after 30 years, qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Even if he’s not adequately known by MLS fans and the press, Flores is probably the best addition that comes from the Liga MX in the 2019-20 transfer window.

He arrived in Mexico in 2018. Monarcas Morelia signed him as the alternative to Raul Ruidiaz after Ruidiaz’s departure to Seattle. Nevertheless, Flores possesses entirely different conditions; he develops better as a winger or playmaker.

Flores had an exceptional performance in his last tournament with a semi-vulnerable team like Morelia. With seven goals and four assists, Flores was the top scorer of the squad and a game changer for Morelia during the Apertura playoffs.

He’s explosive, technical, vertical and creative in the moment to find the last touch, whether that’s an assist or a goal. Flores is hard to intimidate because he’s more visible and courageous during the toughest matches. In his previous tournament, Flores scored four goals against the first- and second-ranked teams. Edison Flores was a very undervalued gem in the Liga MX, and hopefully D.C. United will make him bright more.

Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.

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Image credit: MLS

Tonight, the MLS All-Stars will take on Italian giant Juventus at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The All-Star Game is always a fun and entertaining night for MLS fans celebrating the league’s best players on national television in front of a packed stadium.

Since 2005, the MLS All-Star game has had the “All-Stars vs. Europe” format where MLS takes on some sort of historic European powerhouse such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, just to name a few.

These games have definitely been successful, as they have generated decent amounts of publicity and — for the most part — the MLS All-Star team has looked respectable. It has a winning record in these games with seven wins and six losses. (Two of those losses were decided via penalties, which is lame.)

This format is a fun concept and I have definitely enjoyed watching these matches throughout the years, but I think it’s time for something new and fresh. Here’s why:

Lose-lose situation

I feel like this format is a bit of a lose-lose situation. Regardless of whichever European club faces the MLS All-Stars, they are going to be in preseason and not regular-season form. Due to it being preseason, not all the usual stars on the European clubs will play, i.e. Ronaldo for Juventus. When MLS loses this game, the usual bashing of the league for having an All-Star team that couldn’t even beat a regular European league club commences on social media which is undoubtedly not a good look for the league. But even when MLS does win, the fact that it was against a team that treated the game as a preseason tune-up match without some of their best players for the whole 90 minutes takes away from the achievement of defeating a team like Chelsea or Bayern Munich, so not much of a statement is made in terms of the growth and strength of this up-and-coming league in the eyes of soccer fans around the world.

It’s been 14 years of this

The current “All-Stars vs. Europe” format is starting to get a little stale in my opinion. With the exception of Barcelona and Liverpool, I’d argue that almost every household name of a European club in America has been utilized to play against the MLS All-Stars. If MLS keeps going on with this, within a few years the league is going to have to start repeating teams to come and play the All-Stars. Chelsea and Manchester United are already repeat offenders. This, naturally, is going to take away from some of the excitement of the game in my opinion.

MLS All-Stars Vs. Liga MX All-Stars?

This would be an ideal replacement for the current format due to the classic USA vs. Mexico rivalry it would invoke. The game would not only create a ton of publicity in the United States but it would be huge in Mexico as well, and I think it would easily be the most-viewed All-Star Games ever. Back in March, a loose agreement between the two leagues was made to potentially make this All-Star format happen, but minimal information was released in terms of the details and timing of when this game would happen. It would be a wise decision for the league to utilize this option, for not only would it increase global ratings, but the game would be much more competitive and intense due to the passion of the rivalry. This would be refreshing to see due to the sometimes lackluster effort displayed in the current All-Star format and it would be nice to have a little more meaning behind the game as well.

Overall, the MLS All-Star Game is a fantastic evening celebrating the league and its talented stars. But as the league continues to grow and evolve, so too should its All-Star Game.

Follow Jack on Twitter: @JackRenwick22.

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Photo credit: Los Ruidos Del Deporte

The San Jose Earthquakes ended the speculation that surrounded the future of Argentinian coach Matias Almeyda. After a three-year relation with Mexican club Chivas, several media outlets placed Almeyda as a candidate to take the principal seat of Club Leon (Mexico), San Lorenzo (Argentina) or the national teams of Costa Rica, Mexico or Argentina.

However, there’s a long path between rumors and actions, and San Jose took the initiative to sign a successful coach with vast experience, especially considering his young age.

Why did the Earthquakes sign Matias Almeyda?

Almeyda, 45, joins a club that is located at the bottom of the table. With 20 units, San Jose has the fewest points in MLS. Almeyda is a coach that enjoys challenges; he has mentioned it many times. And his record in Argentina shows that he can turn a crisis into a success story.

Almeyda’s coaching career began at the age of 37 with Argentinian club River Plate, the day after he retired from professional soccer, the same day that River Plate was relegated to Primera B.

The board decided to promote Almeyda from team captain to head coach. And in one year, he took River Plate back to the first division. “El Pelado,” as Almeyda is known, kept his position to lead River Plate in Primera Nacional, but got sacked after 17 games.

Nevertheless, Banfield — another Primera B team — hired Almeyda at the end of the 2012-13 campaign. One full tournament was enough to promote Banfield to Primera Nacional. In his first three years as a coach, Matias Almeyda brought two clubs back to the first division.

Guiding young people is another of the vast qualities that Almeyda has as a head coach. When he conquered the Liga MX title with Chivas, “El Pelado” had a squad below with less than a 24-year-old average. The San Jose Earthquakes are the fourth-youngest squad in MLS. Almeyda will take charge of the team after the current season is over.

Almeyda knows how to motivate a juvenescent squad, how to exploit talent by changing roles or switching the tactical drawing of the team to get what he sees and wants from the players. Every team that he coached had a seal, an identity. That injection of knowledge and motivation could twist the present situation of the Quakes.

Besides his two Primera B titles and five titles with Chivas — that includes a win in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League final against Toronto FC — Almeyda is a person that is polite with people and respects the press.

San Jose and MLS took a step forward with the acquisition of Almeyda, a coach with enough credentials who was squarely on the radar of several clubs and national teams. His reputation is impeccable, his work methodology is proficient and his locker room management is praiseworthy.

Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.

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Image credit: Tigres

It is the era of the tiger in the Liga MX. Tigres obtained its seventh title after defeating Leon by an aggregate score of 1-0. The runner-up in the CONCACAF Champions League conquered its fifth league title in the last 10 years.

Tigres is the reflection of exceptional sports planning. The people in charge understood the future of the game and invested in assets that transformed the script of a team that couldn’t reach the outlined objectives.

After suffering relegation in 1996, Tigres changed its culture and took a step forward by bringing Mexican players with experience in international leagues. However, the model took shape in 2010, when coach Ricardo Ferretti signed as the new leader of the project.

At the time, Tigres invested in South American international players like Hector Mancilla and Egidio Arevalo. They brought back Mexican legend Carlos Salcido, and bought Hugo Ayala and Jorge Torres Nilo, one of the best defensive prospects in the country. The results came immediately. In 2011, Tigres ruled the league and a dynasty began.

Tigres adapted to the “Moneyball” philosophy and also escalated in the expenditures of their assets by signing players like Rafael Sobis, Guido Pizarro, Nahuel Guzman, Joffre Guerron, Eduardo Vargas and world-class striker Andre Pierre Gignac. The office of the president Alejandro Rodriguez incorporated diverse youngsters from South America and loaned them to different clubs of the Liga MX to gain experience, so they’d be ready when the right moment came to claim them back.

The cases of Julian and Luis Quiñones are the perfect example: two players who joined Tigres years back, and today are both Liga MX champions.

From 2011 to 2019, Tigres became the most prominent team of the decade. Ricardo Ferretti joined Ignacio Trelles as the most laureated coach in the history of the league — both have seven titles. In four years, Gignac emerged as the top scorer in the history of the club. Rodriguez turned into the best club president of the northern region. And they just defeated the best team in the history of the Liga MX regular tournament, Leon, which accumulated 41 points.

Tigres has come a long way in a short amount of time, and become the follow-up soccer model. A team that in 2010 had two stars on its badge, now exhibits seven. And they won’t stop, they’ll keep reinventing themselves because they grasp the keys of the game: money, potential, planning, marketing and soccer knowledge.

Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.

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Photo credit: Los Ruidos Del Deporte

What makes soccer the most followed sport on earth, besides the excitement and passion it generates, is that fútbol doesn’t discriminate in a physical aspect. You don’t need to be the strongest nor tallest player to make a difference in the game; it is all about how you treat the ball.

MLS is a league based on the physicality of the game because the United States is full of authentic athletes that can compete at a high level. However, the magic of the game can be brought by anyone, and Colombian Carlos Darwin Quintero still has magic in his boots ready for Minnesota.

Quintero, 30, signed with the Loons after spending nine years in the Liga MX and is at the point in his career where he can still shine bright once again on a new squad. Quintero is a short player at 5-4, but possesses speed and a very gentle touch with both feet. He is fast in open space and successful in one-v-one situations.

Quintero’s size and style of play can be compared to Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco. Both are attacking players that perform behind a striker, although Quintero can also play as a right or left winger, or center forward. But his numbers show that he functions better as a partner of a nominal center striker given his assist numbers.

In nine years in the Liga MX, Quintero played 423 games with Santos Laguna and Club America, scored 119 goals and assisted 105 times. He achieved a Liga MX championship and a Copa MX title with Santos Laguna, two CONCACAF Champions League titles with Club America and was the top scorer in the 2012-13 CCL.

Quintero recently didn’t have a place in the squad with Club America. Not because he lacked talent — more so due to the club being in a renovation phase. He earned one of the most substantial salaries in the league, but was not getting the minutes he probably deserved.

This new opportunity in Minnesota means a second chance that Quintero can’t despise as a player. It is his last call to get a big contract and prove he’s worth those big dollars.

Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.

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