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          Grading Mexico-based Americans for 2015 Clausura season

          Defender Ventura Alvarado, left, had a standout 2015 Clausura season for Club America. Yuri Cortez/Getty Images
          • Adrian Melville, ESPN Insider
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            • Joined ESPN in 2013 as a soccer Insider
            • Worked previously at NBC, Major League Soccer and Opta (UK)
            • Played college soccer at Princeton and professionally for the New England Revolution and Santo Andre, a second-division club in Brazil
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          Jun 9, 2015, 12:20 PM ET

          Liga MX, Mexico's top professional league, is quickly becoming a more viable destination for U.S. players. In addition to the technical skill necessary to compete in the league, the split-season format between a summer/fall (Apertura) and winter/spring (Clausura) championship means that players are under constant pressure to perform in order to compete for trophies.