“In 2010, Mexico didn’t have a pro or competitive league for women,” said Perez, who took part in Liga MX Femenil from 2019 to 2023. “[The league] has given a pathway and so many opportunities for Mexicans to develop as players. To have that stability, structure and organization to be able to train all year.”
Since its inception in 2017, the league has shifted from signing only Mexican-born players to accepting dual-nationals and, most recently, to allowing foreigners who have continued to raise the profile of the nascent competition. Coupled with a growing number of talented NCAA players who are looking for prominent roles that the NWSL may not be able to provide, plus some eye-catching attendance numbers, the league is flourishing at an exciting pace.
Although Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil-heavy roster in the 2022 Concacaf W Championship failed to earn qualification for last year’s World Cup, what’s often lost about the tournament was how difficult El Tri Femenil made it for the U.S. during the group stage. While it’s tough to say that a 16th consecutive loss was a step in the right direction, they were able to hold the Americans to a narrow and hard-fought 1-0 victory that needed an 89th-minute game winner. Previously losing their last seven games with at least a three-goal margin, 2022 was a step in the right direction for Mexico and an omen of better things to come.
By 2024, and with 10 players in their XI representing Liga MX Femenil, Mexico were able to get the job done against the U.S. on Monday.
