What’s causing MLS’ perpetual CCL struggles?
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.”
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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