Is MLS really on par with Liga MX?

TORONTO - Insulting and unacceptable. Sports newspaper Diario Record borrowed words from presidential candidate Ricardo Anaya's widely mocked speech at George Washington University for its front page when Toronto FC, the New York Red Bulls, and the Seattle Sounders inflicted first-leg defeats on Tigres, Club Tijuana, and Chivas last month. Although the latter managed to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the reverse fixture and advance to the semifinals, Liga MX was humbled and a statement had been made.

At least that's what Major League Soccer followers argued.

The debate intensified when Toronto FC claimed a 3-1 victory over Club America on Tuesday. Las Aguilas are members of Mexico's four most prestigious footballing institutions, and are credited with having the best defense in Liga MX. But Jozy Altidore and Ashtone Morgan exposed the vulnerabilities in that backline for the second and third goals in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal tussle, possibly weakening an argument aired by Club America manager Miguel Herrera in the lead-up to the game.

"Our league competes with leagues in Europe, and obviously the MLS is wanting to catch the Mexican league to also compete with the leagues in Europe in the future," Herrera said ahead of Tuesday's match.

He added: "I saw both the games between Toronto and New York (Red Bulls) against Tijuana and Tigres, and I felt the Mexican teams played better."

The press conference after Tuesday's match saw Herrera gradually reach a boiling point through his irritation at the officiating and, most controversially, the policing at BMO Field. When he was coaxed into adding to the MLS vs. Liga MX conversation, he couldn't resist tagging a veiled dig to the end of his assessment.

"It's a league that is growing, they have great players, and there's a lot of funding," he opined.

Money has made a difference, namely to the quality of those earning below the pay bracket of Designated Players. Two or three years ago it would've been difficult to envision an MLS side where Gregory van der Wiel and Victor Vazquez are not among the three highest-paid players, and the investment into performance analysis and coaching methods heralded the vast development of the likes of Marky Delgado and Jonathan Osorio.

Improved scouting methods has brought in talent from South America as well, with Atlanta United currently at the forefront of this recruitment drive. As a result, the league is becoming a more appealing prospect for youngsters looking to make their next step in the game.

Right now, Major League Soccer is an exciting place to be.

"We don't really use that as bulletin board material or anything," Moor reflected on Herrera's pre-match comments. "I'm a fan of this league. I think this league is very, very good and moving in a very good direction.

"The fact that people are talking about MLS catching up to Liga MX is a good sign, he can say what he wants and we'll see how the two legs go."

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

The difference between the two leagues is difficult to quantify, especially when MLS and Liga MX sides are approaching the CONCACAF Champions League differently. ESPN's Tom Marshall predicts a rivalry between Liga MX and MLS teams could grow "in the next few years" - particularly after Mexican clubs entering at the round-of-16 stage "revitalized the tournament" in the country - but for now, domestic matters are the priority. Considering the rotation at Toronto FC and the Red Bulls in league play, the same can't be said for MLS representatives. Simply put, we should be seeing the best MLS teams have to offer in the Champions League, while Tigres were happy to bench Andre-Pierre Gignac for the first leg of the quarterfinals in Toronto.

There also needs to be sustained U.S. and Canadian success in the competition for MLS to be taken seriously by Liga MX. Mexican clubs have won each of the nine tournaments in the Champions League era, and were only troubled by MLS sides in two of those finals (Real Salt Lake in 2011 and the Montreal Impact in 2015). When Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund met in the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League final, it boosted the appeal of the Bundesliga - but it suddenly wasn't jostling for the title as Europe's best division.

However, MLS fans will claim their league is hamstrung by its scheduling when it comes to continental competition, making the achievements of Toronto FC and the Red Bulls even more impressive. February's round-of-16 fixtures marked the beginning of their respective 2018 campaigns - they were plunged into the tournament after a short preseason - while Mexican competitors have been playing consistently since a brief break in December.

What the success of Toronto FC and the Red Bulls demonstrates is a big step from MLS, not only in establishing itself as the best league in North America, but also one of the most respected on the planet in terms of player development, scouting, coaching philosophies, and - just whisper it - quality.

Related: How would an All-Star game look between best of MLS, Liga MX?

"Herrera's a good coach, but he's also full of personality and not afraid to say certain things and I'm not sure whether even he believes everything that he says sometimes," Michael Bradley reflected, before noting the lessons that Toronto FC can learn against such illustrious position.

"We have complete respect for him, for Club America, but certainly the opportunity for us to play on nights like this and improve ourselves in little ways to some people and big ways to other people - that's exciting. Ultimately, the only thing we care about is giving ourselves a chance to continue on."