In the press conference after Mexico was eliminated from the World Cup, El Tri coach Juan Carlos Osorio made a statement that will sound familiar to U.S. soccer fans.



“This is a process in which you have to look to have more Mexican players in Europe and competing—like the Brazilians have—in the best leagues and the best teams in the world,” he said. “To the extent that Mexican football exports more players that compete and train with the best, the national team will eventually make that jump in quality.”



Former USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann used to preach the same message. He wanted to see the best American players plying their trade overseas in the world’s top leagues. It was the only way, Klinsmann thought, that the U.S. could take significant steps forward as a national team. It also ran counter to the growth plan of Major League Soccer, which was billing itself as the “league of choice” for top American players...