Posted by In recent years, the lack of parity seen in many top European leagues has reached alarming levels. Bayern Munich have won the last 7 Bundesliga titles, while Juventus have lifted the last 8 Serie A crowns. In France, PSG have won the last two Ligue 1 titles by 13 (2017-2018) and 16 (2018-19) points, with their +70 goal difference in 2018-19 doubling that of second-placed Lille. In Spain, the 2003-04 season was the last time a team not named Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atlético Madrid won the league.
The inequality seen on the field is a direct result of the economic disparities between Europe’s elite and their domestic competitors. According to Transfermarkt, both Real Madrid and Barcelona have squads with a combined value well in excess of $1 billion, while there is a more than $400 million gap between Atlético Madrid ($948.52 million) in third and Valencia ($528.73 million) in fourth. Juventus have by far the most expensive squad in Italy, with a combined value of $1.067 billion that dwarfs second-placed Napoli’s ($709.13 million). The situation in Ligue 1 is even more striking. PSG’s squad has a combined value more than double that of Lyon, the country’s second-most expensive squad ($1.096 billion vs. $453.36 million).
Finally, the economic superiority of these clubs has been underlined this summer. Real Madrid, Atlético, and Barcelona (in that order) are the three biggest spenders so far this summer. Juventus, the fourth-biggest spender so far, have just completed the signing of 19-year old center-back Matthijs De Ligt in a deal that could see him become the most expensive defender ever. Although Bayern have been outspent by Bundesliga rival Borussia Dortmund so far this summer, they are still in the market for one, if not two, high priced wingers, with rumored deals for Leroy Sané and Ousmane Demebélé sure to go over $100 million apiece.
Although Liga MX lacks the quality seen in matches between European heavyweights, the parity in the league is a huge plus. This parity is encouraged by the way the league is organized. Liga MX plays two short tournaments a season crowning a different champion at the end of each tournament. Furthermore, there are playoffs, known as the Liguilla, at the end of each short tournament. Eight of the league’s eighteen teams qualify for the Liguilla. As a result, there are more opportunities for clubs who are not among the biggest in the country to win the league. In the past 20 short seasons going back to the Apertura 2009/10, there have been 10 different champions.
However, much like La Liga, Liga MX is in danger of becoming a three-team league. Instead of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, read Monterrey, Tigres and América. While América is one of the Mexico’s traditional heavyweights, Monterrey and Tigres have both risen to prominence in the last decade.
Money has been the key factor in allowing these sides to dominate Mexican soccer. América (Grupo Televisa), Monterrey (FEMSA) and Tigres (CEMEX) are all backed by huge Mexican companies, who have poured money into their squads in recent years. Those three teams are responsible for seven of the ten most expensive signings in Liga MX history. Furthermore, Monterrey, Tigres and América (in that order) possess the three most valuable squads in Mexico. Similar to the squad value comparisons discussed above, there is a huge drop off between América’s squad value ($84.6 million) and that of fourth-placed Cruz Azul ($69.6 million).
Although the creation of a “big three” in Liga MX is a recent phenomenon, the economic superiority of Monterrey, Tigres and América is already starting to translate into results on the field. The latter two sides have won 6 of the past 10 league titles on offer, and before too long Monterrey’s investment is likely to pay off in the form of their first Liga MX crown since the Apertura 2010. Going into the Apertura 2019, América, Monterrey and Tigres are the three clear favorites for the title. While sides such as León, Pachuca and Toluca also have the capacity to win the league, it would be a big surprise to see a team outside of Mexico’s “big three” with the league trophy in their hands come December.
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