So why? The culprits are local billionaires. They buy the biggest clubs in the country and shower them with pesos. Players are bathed in luxury. The highest paid can peak at €10 million per year. At 39, former Blue André-Pierre Gignac still earns €4.1 million with Tigres. For his part, Huerta earned €1.1 million at the Pumas. If Maradona (as coach), Ronaldinho, Bebeto, and other stars played in Mexico, it’s not just for the sunshine.
The trigger after the shocks of Qatar and the USA
The Mexican championship system also places players in a certain comfort of life. If you find our playoffs with points division complicated, hang in there. In Liga MX there is only one descendant each year. And to designate it, you have to take the average of the last six tournaments (each tournament represents half a season). The last is therefore not always condemned, far from it. This had, for example, caused Pep Guardiola to see his club Dorados de Sinaloa fall to D2 even though he had finished in eighth place for his final year as a player. This favors traditional teams for whom relegation is almost impossible. And therefore investors flock more easily.
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In short, the life of a Mexican footballer is good in the local championship. So why look elsewhere? However, a change has begun in recent years. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar then the 2024 Copa America in the USA (elimination in the first round each time) served as the trigger. With the globalization of football, it becomes impossible for a selection to shine if there are not more players trained to European standards, the highest on the planet. Several talents, such as defender Huescas (FC Copenhagen) and now Huerta, have chosen to export despite a drop in salary. The federation hopes to reap the benefits from the next World Cup, the opening match of which will take place at the Azteca stadium in Mexico.
