When Andre-Pierre Gignac swapped Marseille for Tigres last summer, there were many who thought he was taking a step down. In an interview with France Football however, it was clear that Gignac doesn't think so.
"I played 10 seasons [in Ligue 1], I can compare them. Here there is more passion, more identification with the club, more respect for the players and the colors," said Gignac. "You play all the time in stadiums with capacities of 40,000 to more than 100,000 and that are often full."
Estadio Universitario, home of Tigres. Photo: @Chuy_Rocha10 | Twitter
Gignac, who has scored 30 goals in 41 appearances for Tigres this season across all competitions, also thinks that the Liga MX trumps the MLS, as well as the other leagues in South America.
"People in France talk a lot about MLS, the United States, and its expansion," said Gignac. "It's good--there's a nice stadium and a superb pitch — but it's nothing compared to Liga MX."
"Even my Argentinian and Brazilian teammates at Tigres, who are internationals, tell me that the Mexican league has become better than their own. It's the reference in South, Central and North America."
Gignac marked his first season at Tigres with the Apertura title and helped them reach the CONCACAF Champions League final, which they lost to America. He has continued that form into the Clausera season, but Tigres have been guilty of dropping points in games that they should have perhaps won and currently sit in ninth.
Photo: @TVCDeportes | Twitter
The French striker is part of an increase in foreign players imported to the Liga MX, a trend which concerns some but is certainly not unique to Mexico. In fact, the increase in foreign players speaks to the competitiveness and increased profile of the Mexican league, with managers preferring to import or naturalize players for experience rather than rely on Mexican youth.
It isn't too much of a stretch to say that Liga MX is better in quality than the MLS, but it is interesting to hear Gignac say that it is better than Ligue 1. Granted, PSG won the league this year with eight games to spare, so perhaps Gignac has a point.
(H/T ESPN FC)
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