Tigres UANL coach Miguel Herrera says MLS is 'light years ahead' of Liga MX

• Bale, Insigne, Chiellini among recent MLS arrivals

• Dani Alves is Liga MX's highest-profile 2022 signing
• MLS, Liga MX to face off in Leagues Cup 2023

WHAT HAPPENED: Tigres UANL coach Miguel Herrera dismissed the notion that Liga MX can currently compete with Major League Soccer, saying that their neighbors up north are "light years ahead of us."

WHAT THEY SAID: "MLS as a league is light years ahead of us. Now they're looking to beat Spain, Italy and England. They don't even look behind to see the Mexican League," Piojo, who coached El Tri at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, said.

"There is no competition. Those who think that are us [Mexicans] or the media... They'll buy an Argentinean player for 25, 30 million dollars and they have three or four Designated Players. A franchise in that league is worth 100 million, all of them. In Mexico I don't think there are more than six that are worth that or more."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Despite Liga MX's historical on-field dominance, the tide has turned in recent years for MLS. In 2022, the Seattle Sounders were crowned CONCACAF Champions League winners by beating PUMAS UNAM, while New York City FC defeated Atlas to clinch Campeones Cup.

While MLS has attracted big-name players such as Gareth Bale, Lorenzo Insigne, Giorgio Chiellini just this year, Liga MX's lone marquee signing of 2022 has been Barcelona and Brazil legend Dani Alves. Even Mexican superstars like Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, Carlos Vela and, most recently, Hector Herrera, have chosen to play in MLS than their native country.

THE STORY IN THREE PICTURES:

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Getty Images

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WHAT'S NEXT FOR HERRERA: Piojo's Tigres topped Necaxa, 2-0, Saturday night in the Liga MX repechaje and will face Santos Laguna Wednesday in the Apertura quarterfinals.