When asked why MLS teams were struggling and failing to break though in international competition, the star player answered, “We’re too naive. We’re too nice. We’ve got to have that mentality.”
That star player was Jaime Moreno, and he said that 15 years ago. Time has passed, but MLS teams are still struggling and failing. And “mentality”—or whatever term you want to use for the phenomenon: “gamesmanship,” “picaro,” “cheating,” etc.—has remained a stubborn calling card of the Concacaf Champions League. It’s practically part of the brand, so much so that there’s even a term for it. Everyone now knows what “Getting Concacafed” means, and MLS has made it a habit.