Diego Reyes responds to Chicharito: Liga MX still ahead of MLS

Tigres UANL and Mexico defender Diego Reyes isn't buying into LA Galaxy striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez's assertions that MLS is catching up with Liga MX and that people in Mexico don't want to accept it.

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The topic has sparked debate after Hernandez's comments that his move from Sevilla to LA Galaxy was the "beginning of retirement," which was criticized in some quarters in Mexico and the United States.

"This league [Major League Soccer] is growing so much and my country doesn't want to see it and doesn't want to learn from it," said Hernandez in an interview with Fox Sports. "In this period of time MLS has grown so much compared to what the Mexican league has grown in the same period of time, so I understand what the word [retirement] means, I completely understand, but I didn't come to retire."

Mexico international Reyes was asked whether he agreed with Hernandez that MLS is catching up during a press conference and gave a blunt response referring to Liga MX clubs' 14-year winning streak in the CONCACAF Champions League.

"I think the recent CONCACAF champions have been Mexican and with that I answer the question," stated 27-year-old Reyes.

Galaxy isn't in the 2019-2020 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League, but Hernandez was adamant in his presentation that the tournament is on his list of goals while at the club.

Hernandez's comments in his first press conference as a Galaxy player about him returning to North America as a "Mexican football legend" also led to discussions and some criticism in the Mexican press.

Cruz Azul's Elias Hernandez jumped to Hernandez's defense on Wednesday, indicating that if former Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had said the same it would've been seen differently.

"I think that this [type of criticism] only happens in Mexico," said Hernandez in a press conference. "How many times have we heard Zlatan say a lot of things and it makes us laugh? Now Chicharito says it and it causes a commotion."