Tigres earned their first international title by beating LAFC in the Concacaf Champions League Final, drawing five lessons from their 2-1 win over the MLS team.
Gignac, the best foreigner
The figure of Tigres was undoubtedly their star scorer André-Pierre Gignac, who scored six goals in the tournament, but the most important, the victory in the Final against LAFC in the 84th minute, made it possible to pass the felines to the World Cup for clubs .
There is no doubt that Gignac is the best foreigner in Mexican football today, thanks to his stability as a finisher, as he knows how to appear in big matches.
However, the debate has begun to determine whether Gignac is the best foreigner in the history of Mexican football, which is much more complicated and complex as comparing him to the legends Cabinho, Marín, Reinoso or Cardozo is risky.
Tuca, the best technician
Ricardo Ferretti has as many opponents as fans. His playing style does not convince a significant majority as he is constantly questioned about the lack of spectacle football, which the Brazilian coach always sacrifices in pursuit of the result.
But the titles will continue to support Tuca, the only coach not fired since he started his walk on the bench, three full decades of hard work, effective, rocky, not very pleasant for the stands, but who ended up taking enough trophies. consider himself the best coach in Mexican football. The Club World Cup will be an impossible challenge, but for Tuca it is a good way to test his reach as a quarterback.
Tigers, great team
It’s usually another endless debate about social networks and football gatherings. Tigres isn’t a big team like América, Chivas, Cruz Azul or Pumas for many reasons, but it has won five titles in the last decade, the same as all titles considered ‘Big’.
Tigres suffers because it’s a team sweeping Monterrey, but the national projection is nil as it doesn’t have the national fan base of the other four clubs.
But in terms of success, winning trophies, to which it has now added its first international title, Tigres is the best team of the last 10 years, and much of this is thanks to the high investment of its board, good eye for contracting Gignac, and does everything he can to put him at ease and enjoy his undeniable talent. Big or not, Tigres will travel to Qatar to meet the best clubs from each continent, as the four ‘Big’ wanted …
Mexicans dominate Concacaf
Another never-ending debate is the distance between Liga MX and MLS. In direct duels, there is no question the dominance of Mexican clubs in the only tournament where it is possible to measure them face to face.
But more and more account is taken of the social, financial and sporting structure, the marketing touch, the great purchases of football from the United States, which invests a lot to get little international recognition.
Instead, Mexican clubs took an honorable journey when they competed in the Copa Libertadores of Sudamericana, and they left an indelible mark to the extent that their return to those leagues is longed for across the continent.
There is little material to discuss whether the MLS will reach, reach or not reach the Liga MX, but the history of Mexican football cannot be missed, much more than 25 years of a league that is growing by leaps and bounds, but it is still a long way from the Concacaf Giant.
Sailing, unsuccessful in clubs
Carlos Vela was the top figure in MLS for the 2019 season, which he was unable to complete with a title as he only won the accolade as MVP and Supporter’s Shield.
Before the year of the pandemic, Vela was one of the players who decided not to attend the special MLS is Back tournament for the health of his family, who welcomed his second child.
Eliminated from the 25th MLS Tournament, LAFC and Vela sought revenge in the Concacaf Champions League, leaving out Mexican clubs León, Cruz Azul and América. The hope was that Vela would again be a weight factor against Tigres, but unfortunately Carlos couldn’t handle the Tuca heavy machine and collapsed again, leaving him no chance to take the first club title of his brilliant career.