This week, two reforms have been announced regarding the future of Mexican soccer. All of this is aimed at improving and growing the league, but especially at enhancing the structure and development of players.
It is clear that the cornerstone of a national team is its raw talent. You can have a good league, a good coach, and the resources for the best facilities and transportation. But without good players, none of this matters.
Let’s break it down. The youth rule is back. What does it mean?
Starting next season, all clubs will be required to field a player under 23 years old for at least 1,000 minutes per tournament. If the player is 19 years old, each minute played will count towards the statistic, whereas, for older players, only a percentage of the minutes played will be counted. Any team that fails to comply will receive a financial penalty and lose 3 points.
Con esto se da una buena noticia. Asegurar la participación de juveniles siempre será algo positivo, aunque se trate de una obligación y no una convicción. Muchas caras nuevas aparecerán, y aunque varios de ellos lastimosamente representarán únicamente una cifra, otros significarán la aparición de nombres que posiblemente nunca hubieran visto oportunidad de no ser por la famosa regla.
El primer paso está dado, pero definitivamente los siguientes son los más importantes y nada garantiza que se vayan a dar. Hoy en día, el 90% de los jugadores que debutan no continúan en el plantel para la próxima temporada. Un dato gravísimo y revelador. ¿Qué se va a hacer para que esto no se repita? Y todavía más importante. ¿Cómo esos jóvenes se van a foguear y crecer a nivel individual?
Tener futbolistas jóvenes y mexicanos es bueno, pero ya se tienen muchos actualmente. ¿Mayor cantidad es igual a mayor calidad? Por cada plantel de la Liga MX hay cerca de 15 futbolistas locales y multiplicados por los 18 equipos, encontramos a 270 opciones de los cuales no completamos a 23 de alta calidad para selección mexicana.
El problema va más allá. No alcanza con tener más, sino con tener mejores. De todos estos que aparecerán gracias a la regla de menores, ¿cuántos darán el salto a Europa? Ojalá que muchos.
El trabajo debe ser más profundo. Estos jóvenes deben crecer y madurar bajo un sistema que les exija a crecer y vivir bajo presión. Una liga donde sepan que si sus temporadas son malas, pueden ir a la segunda división. Una liga en la que sólo aspiren al título cuando realmente lo merezcan, y no como hoy, que entre repechajes, play in y diversos formatos, con muy poco te alcanza para dar por buena una temporada.
And so we continue. It will be very different for those young players to be part of the first team traveling to South America for international tournaments compared to traveling to the United States, playing in stadiums filled with Mexican fans, and facing MLS opponents.
In summary, the idea of reinstating the youth rule is a step forward, but it won’t achieve much unless further steps are taken.
I was struck by how clearly the Mexican federation officials stated the date by which they expected to start seeing results, projecting that the benefits of these changes would be visible by 2030.
I don’t recall another announcement in Mexican soccer that was so long-term. This is positive, as the main problem with our soccer is the emphasis on immediacy. Sponsors, ticket sales, and TV broadcasters—all demand immediate results and everything revolves around money.
Qualifying for the World Cup at all costs. Playing friendly matches regardless of the opponent, just for the chance to earn dollars. Selling a young player for millions in the local market instead of selling them cheaply to Europe with the hope of a future resale.
That’s why everything is geared towards short-term results, with little thought for the long term.
Every important goal takes time, and we hope that this time the process will be respected, regardless of the immediate results.
What do you think of this new structure in Mexican soccer? Do you think it can bring about change, or is it just more of the same?
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Cover one of the biggest teams in Mexico;
He was a correspondent in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
One of the new faces in the industry who has found his place thanks to his preparation and adaptation, especially in digital media.