Talent attracts talent. That is undeniable. When a soccer player has an incredible level or can be an outstanding star in the short future becomes a target for European soccer clubs. It does not matter where he plays: MLS or Liga MX.
On the other hand, talent is, combined with a dose of infrastructure, what makes leagues more attractive; more valuable. So it seems that the key variable of the equation to discover the level a local league has is no other than the capabilities and projection of its players.
Then, talking about the eternal comparison between the Major League Soccer and Mexican Liga MX, it could be fair enough to use the number of its talents exported to European Leagues as a convincing argument to state which one of the rivals is doing better.
How many players has Liga MX exported to Europe in 2021?
Cruz Azul, Liga MX's champion of the Guard1anes 2021 tournament, has just "lost" Orbelín Pineda, who will play since 2022 in Celta de Vigo. The 25 years old midfielder has finished his contract with la Maquina and decided not to renew it.
The feeling of loss about this transfer move is strong in Cruz Azul. The club did not want to part from its now former player. Alvaro Davila, executive president of the blue team, said about Orbelin's departure to Europe.
"The offers made (by European clubs) are insulting. Such an insult for the player, but they do not think the same. The European teams feel Mexico does not deserve them. Even we have International players, the offers made for them are a bad joke. I do not understand how our players pretend to settle a career in Europe with clubs that take them for granted." Tough words that show exportations are not the desired goal.
Here it is the list of players that have jumped from Liga MX to European top leagues in 2021:
-Orbelín Pineda (Celta de Vigo, LaLiga)
-Johan Vasquez (Genoa, Serie A)
-Jose Juan Macias (Getafe, LaLiga)
-Santiago Muñoz (Newcastle United U23, Premier League)
These are the MLS' talents signed by European clubs in 2021
Ricardo Pepi, Julian Araujo, Valentin Castellanos, and Justin Che: these four youngsters are on the radar of European teams and it is a common behavior of MLS teams to leave the door open for their talents to move to the Old Continent.
Shakira says that Hips don't lie: well, in this case, numbers do tell the truth. So far in 2021, there have been 8 player departures directly from an MLS team to Europe. These kind of facts show the growth of American soccer, which reflects, as a consequence, on the National Team.
MLS talents signed by European teams in 2021:
-Brenden Aaronson (RB Salzburg, Bundesliga, Austria)
-Joseph Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach, Bundesliga)
-Mark Mackenzie (Genk, Jupiler Pro League, Belgium)
-Bryan Reynolds (AS Rome, Serie A)
-Tanner Tessmann (Venezia, Serie A)
-Caden Clark (RB Leipzig, Bundesliga)
-Gianluca Busio (Venezia, Serie A)
-Sam Vines (Royal Amberes, Jupiler Pro League, Belgium)
