The Development League that is being sought in the Ascenso MX category could mean the escape of national players to other countries, and the Central America region could be the refuge for those who are not considered.
With an age limit of 23 years and a rule that allows each club to have a maximum of eight players above the limit, Mexican players could turn to countries like Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, among others, where there are 53 Mexican players who are looking to stay in professional soccer.
Guatemala is the main destination where players who have made a name for themselves in the First Division are looking to continue their careers. There are 23 players in this league and among them are Erik 'Puma' Pimentel, Juan Carlos Silva, Agustín Herrera, Liborio Sánchez, and César Villaluz.
"As a result of the draft, a market opened up in Central America, and another factor that made us come here were the rules of Mexican soccer, which give advantages to foreigners. That forced Mexican players not only to look for teams in Europe but also in other places like Guatemala, the Middle East, MLS. We have to keep playing," said Agustín Herrera, who is a forward for Comunicaciones, to ESPN Digital.
Another country that has given opportunities to players who didn't make it in the top league or second division of Mexican soccer is Nicaragua. In that country, there are 10 Mexican players, including Jesús Leal, Francisco Tavano, and Taufic Guarch, who was a promising player in Mexican soccer after being part of the Mexican U-20 National Team that finished third in the 2011 tournament.
"At first, it was the rule of foreigners, there were 9 or 10 on each team, and that closed the door for Mexican players. Now, with this, many quality players are going to be left without a team. They want to create a development league, but I think they are wrong because it takes away competitiveness from the issue. Let's hope they change their minds," said Daniel Guzmán Miranda, who plays for Guastatoya in Guatemala and is also the son of former player and now coach Daniel 'Travieso' Guzmán.