With Major League Soccer (MLS), Liga MX and South American League all resuming play after the World Cup, football competitions across the Americas returned in full force in late July. Cruz Azul takes on Toluca in the Mexican Super Cup on Saturday in Los Angeles, and we’ve seen other games across the Americas. This is your ongoing coverage of club football across the region.
Cruz Azul wins Mexican Super Cup
Cruz Azul defeated Toluca 3-1 in the Mexican Super Cup, confirming their status as the best team in Mexico’s Primera Division. Playing in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, Cruz Azul emerged victorious despite being defeated 25-12 by Toluca. Jose Paradela scored twice and Charly Rodriguez added a goal in the middle, while Toluca only had Alexis Vega on goal.
Reigning Liga MX champions Cruz Azul believe they have a good enough squad, with Colombian international Kevin Mir fit to start and club captain Eric Lira set to remain in midfield despite interest in a move to Europe after impressing at the World Cup in Mexico. There is continuity in both Toluca and Cruz Azul’s current teams.
Cruz Azul will play in Miami against Inter Miami in the Campinees Cup in September. Lionel Messi made his debut in the 2023 Carabao Cup against Cruz Azul and now we have a rematch.
Liga MX transfer activity continues
At the beginning of the Apertura season, teams continue to make lineup adjustments. Angel Correa joins River Plate from Tigres, and Monterrey brings in MLS Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers from Chicago as a new striker, along with another former MLS standout in Diego Rossi. Mexico international midfielder Obelin Pineda has also returned to the Mexican Serie A from AEK Athens, joining Monterrey after years of interest.
MX League newcomer Atlante complements the experience of former Colombian international David Ospina, 37, who was a starter at Atlético Nacional.
Atlas also continues to make moves, having signed five new players, four of whom are from Europe, including Jorge Sanchez from PAOK and Luis Esteves from Portugal’s Gil Vicente.
Mexican League expansion clubs protest Pro/Rel end
It was recently confirmed that Mexico’s football governing body has no plans to reinstate promotion and relegation from Liga MX, sparking protests from Serie B expansion clubs who began refusing to attend the opening minutes of this weekend’s Serie A expansion matches.
A saga that began during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic continues to roil Mexican football, which for decades has included promotion and relegation as is common across the globe, but the Mexican league has now moved to a closed franchise/licensing model to protect the revenue and budgets of the country’s largest clubs. This permanently shattered the ambitions of second division clubs such as Cancun and Atletico Morelia, who now have no path to the top flight. Whether these protests will have any impact on the status quo remains to be seen, but it seems unlikely that pro/rel will return.
Despite busy July, River Plate loses to Barracas in Argentinian league
River Plate were one of the most active teams in the region during this summer’s transfer window. The Argentinian giants have added former World Cup winners Angel Correa and Nicolas Otamendi to their squad, along with Fiorentina player Lucas Beltran who has returned from Europe, Colombian international Rafael Santos Bore from Internacional, Mauro Alambari from Getafe and fellow Uruguayan Giovanni Gonzalez from Krasnodar.
Players leaving the club include Maxi Mesa, Andres Herrera, Paulo Diaz, goalkeeper Franco Armani and Colombian international Juanfer Quintero.
Despite these moves, River Plate had a rough start to the new season, losing to Aldosivi in the Argentine Cup in July and Barracas in the Argentine League. The next round of the South American Cup will be held in August, and they still have a lot to solve in a short period of time.
Their eternal rivals Boca Juniors have added Sebastian Villa and Colombian international Alvaro Montero as goalkeepers, with Edinson Cavani leaving the club at the age of 39. The full list of Argentinian league transfers can be found here.
Notable summer transfers from Brazil include Luis Sinistra
Brazil also had an active summer transfer window, with Cruzeiro bringing in Luis Sinistra from Bournemouth for €11 million and Gabriel Page joining from LA Galaxy. Vitinho joins Internacional from Dinamo Covid. This summer’s full transfer list, which includes a number of Brazilians heading to Europe, can be found here .
MLS adds Casemiro, Griezmann and Lewandowski
Three of the biggest names in European football over the past decade are set to join Major League Soccer in this summer transfer window. Robert Lewandowski is the new starting forward for the Chicago Fire, a city with a large Polish diaspora. Lewandowski, 37, hopes to lead Chicago to the MLS title after a successful spell with Barcelona.
36-year-old Antoine Griezmann joined Orlando City and became the biggest signing in the club’s history. Griezmann was a super-sub at Atletico Madrid towards the end of his tenure at the club and is now a key player in an Orlando team that is expected to reach the MLS playoffs.
Brazil international Casemiro has made it clear he wants to play alongside Lionel Messi, joining Inter Miami on a free transfer after a long spell as Manchester United leader. When healthy, a veteran Inter Miami team believes they can defend their MLS title, and despite a sluggish defense, Messi and friends still have the most potent attack in the league.
Kai Wagner returned to MLS with Philadelphia in other MLS moves, which you can view here. The debate continues over whether Major League Soccer will lift some of its restrictive salary cap rules to bring more talent to the league. “I expect there will be significant changes to the roster investment model that will simplify and improve the product,” Portland Timbers co-owner Merritt Paulson said. “We will make changes to add strength and depth to the roster, which is an area where we are lagging. I’m very optimistic.”
Copa Sudamericana knockout playoffs begin
The knockout round of the South American Cup started last week. The Argentine Tigers defeated the Uruguay Nacional 3-0, Vasco drew with Independiente of Medellin, Lanus defeated Cienciano 2-0, Boca Juniors 1-0 O’Higgins, Santos 4-1, Bragatino and Atlético de Cristal drew 3-2 with Gremio, and Colombian Santa Fe won at home 2-0 Caracas Football Club.
On a related note, Spanish-language network TUDN has acquired U.S. rights to Libertadores and South America starting in 2027.
Main photo credit: Smartframe Images
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