After participating in nineteen editions of the prestigious South American competition Copa Libertadores, last November the Liga MX confirmed that they would no longer compete after changes to the tournament’s schedule. Yet, recent changes to CONCACAF’s own Champions League schedule opens the idea that Mexico may return to Libertadores. As a league with strong rosters, owners with tremendous financial power, teams with rich history, and a fan following which reaches two countries and millions of people, one cannot argue against the idea that Mexico deserves a place in such illustrious tournament.
Yet, there is a strong idea among many Libertadores followers in South America who believe Mexican teams are not good enough, or have sufficient respectability to compete in that historical tournament. In many of their eyes, Copa Libertadores is from South America, and should be for exclusive to CONMEBOL members.
This article will demonstrate a brief history of Mexico within Copa Libertadores and its aggregate stats through the past nineteen editions. This will demonstrate why Liga MX clubs are crucial for the tournament to remain competitive in the highest possible level.
1 Mexico in Copa Libertadores
As a member of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), Mexico never had the opportunity to participate in official tournaments organized by South America’s CONMEBOL; let it be Copa America for national teams or Copa Libertadores for club teams. This changed in 1993 when CONMEBOL began to invite two national teams into Copa America competitions which have typically been given to CONCACAF sides. This opened the door to demonstrate how influential a Mexican participation can be in these tournaments both financially and on-the-field.
In their first Copa America participation in 1993 the Mexican national team reached the final against Argentina. Although it ended with a loss, Mexico demonstrated that they were a competitive opponent who was not afraid to face historical giants. This, along with the expansion of globalization of the sport, began the process which would welcome Mexican teams into Copa Libertadores.
Mexico’s participation in Copa Libertadores began in 1998 after the Venezuela football federation decided to put on sale its two seeds for the competition. Mexico agreed to buy those seeds which meant the two invited Mexican clubs would have to face two Venezuelan teams in a short pre-Libertadores group competition where the top two reached the tournament. That year, the invitees were Chivas of Guadalajara and Club America who would face Caracas and Atletico Zulia. The result? Both Mexican sides reached the group stages of the tournament.
This system to face Venezuelan teams in pre-Libertadores was in place for six years until 2004 when the Interliga was established. This small tournament was composed of eight Mexican teams where the finalists would qualify directly into the Libertadores. While in 2004 only the two Interliga teams qualified, from 2005 until 2010 it was these two teams plus a third representative chosen from the Supercopa champion of Mexican soccer. From 2011 until 2016, Mexican teams were given two direct seeds plus one to compete in a pre-Libertadores playoff.
Sadly, recent scheduling changes made by CONMEBOL to the competition meant the tournament would now be played from January to November. In response, the Liga MX made the disappointing decision to conclude their participation in the prestigious tournament as it would collide with the already busy schedule which must favor the CONCACAF Champions League. However, schedule changes announced recently for the Concachampions where the tournament will be played from February to May opens the door once again for Liga MX teams to participate in Copa Libertadores.
The Libertadores tournament is undoubtedly strengthened with the inclusion of Mexican teams. Liga MX sides have the financial well-being to sign international star players like Andre-Pierre Gignac, Edu Vargas, Nicolas Castillo, Edson Puch, Nahuel Guzman, or Agustin Marchesin to name a few from a very long list. Moreover, with a population of over 120 million in Mexico plus another estimated 30 million in the United States, the Liga MX offers a tremendous market to CONMEBOL.
Yet, as Mexican teams have never won a Libertadores title, many fans of the tournament may argue that Mexico has no place in such historic competition. Comments like ‘these teams are all money and no passion’, ‘how many titles have they won?’, ‘who are they in South American soccer?’, or ‘can’t see a Mexican in a Mexican team’.
Nonetheless, Mexico can pride itself by being both a financial asset and a strong performer.
In the next page, you will view the aggregate stats for Mexican representatives throughout 1998-2016.
2 Mexico in Copa Libertadores – Stats #1-14
All the aggregate stats of Mexican teams in Copa Libertadores
1. Mexican teams competed from 1998-2016 for a total of 19 editions.
2. Mexico has been represented a total of 52 times by 21 different teams.
3. Only in 1999 an 2010 teams did not reach the knock-out stage.
4. In 2009 both Chivas and San Luis qualified to knock-out stage but were disqualified due to ongoing H1N1 flu epidemic; they were placed directly into round-of-16 in 2010.
5. Only in 1999 and 2001 one of the two invited teams did not get past the pre-Libertadores stage which was played against Venezuelan teams.
6. That means, 10 out of 12 possible times Mexican teams reached group stages of Libertadores from these pre-Libertadores groups vs Venezuelans = 83% qualification rate.
Historical record of Mexican teams in every stage of Copa Libertadores pic.twitter.com/Nvs2OxToPy
— FutnSoccer (@FutnSoccer) January 28, 2017
7. Beginning in 2007, Mexican teams played a pre-group knock-out series to reach group stages of Libertadores; teams were eliminated 7 out of 10 series = 30% qualification rate.
8. Of the 41 representatives in the group stages, 33 have reached the round-of-16; only 8 representatives were eliminated in group stage.
9. 80.5% of all group stage representatives have reached the round-of-16.
10. Of 33 ’round-of-16′ representatives, 17 have reached the quarterfinals = 52% qualification rate.
11. Only in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009*, 2012, and 2014 representatives did not reach the quarterfinals = Mexico appeared in quarterfinals in 13 out of 19 editions.
12. Of 17 quarterfinal representatives, 8 have reached the semifinals = 47% qualification rate.
13. Of 8 semifinal representatives, 3 have reached the final = 37.5% qualification rate.
14. Mexican teams have never won a Copa Libertadores title.
3 Mexico in Copa Libertadores – Stats #15-27
15. 78.8% of all representatives have competed in the group stage.
16. 59.6% of all representatives have competed in the round-of-16.
17. 34.6% of all representatives have competed in the quarterfinals.
18. 15.4% of all representatives have competed in the semifinals.
19. 5.8% of all representatives have competed in the final.
Percentage of Mexican teams which have reached separate stages in Copa Libertadores pic.twitter.com/kt8fU14AbB
— FutnSoccer (@FutnSoccer) January 28, 2017
20. With a total of 688 goals in 452 games, Mexican teams score an average of 1.52 goals/game.
21. With a total of 561 goals conceded in 452 games, Mexican teams average 1.24 goals against per game.
22. With 160 goals scored in 88 pre-libertadores games, Mexican teams average 1.82 goals/per game.
23. With 108 goals against in 88 pre-libertadores games, Mexican teams average 1.23 goals received/game.
Historical record of Mexican teams in Copa Libertadores pic.twitter.com/jnYYgyidW5
— FutnSoccer (@FutnSoccer) January 28, 2017
