Friendliest rivals: MLS, Liga MX meet in All-Star Game in LA

ANGELES >> Major League Soccer and Liga MX both realize they’re more powerful as partners than rivals.

Although many of their best players will face each other Wednesday night in downtown Los Angeles at the MLS All-Star Game, North America’s top two leagues are also friends and business partners. They could soon become full teammates if the continent’s football powers can figure out a way to make it happen.

This All-Star week is another step in the lengthy process of aligning Mexico’s top pro teams with their American and Canadian counterparts to present a united — and lucrative — continental front to the soccer globe. The partnership already includes two cup competitions, and both leagues’ leaders have acknowledged it could eventually lead to a full merger.

The players representing those teams at Los Angeles FC’s Banc of California Stadium are more interested in providing a memorable game for fans in this vibrant, soccer-loving American city where nearly half of the population is Latino, most with proud Mexican roots.

“As players, you want to be part of history,” said Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan, a suburban Los Angeles native and the captain of the MLS AllStars. “That’s something we all cherish. This is a really great event for that reason.”

The border-crossing nature of this event was personified by MLS’ two biggest Mexican stars: the LA Galaxy’s Javier “Chicharito” Hernández and LAFC’s Carlos Vela, who both started out as Chivas prospects and played in Europe before moving stateside to bolster MLS’ fortunes.

But after the event was promoted for weeks with advertisements and billboards prominently featuring their faces, both star forwards’ teams announced Monday they will miss the All-Star Game due to injuries.

The absence of Chicharito and Vela is a blow to coach Bob Bradley’s MLS squad, but players from both leagues believe MLS’ quality of play has risen in recent years to a level close to Liga MX, which has traditionally been the stronger competitive league while struggling with more financial fragility.