Starting next month, four Major League Soccer teams will compete in an international tournament featuring clubs from nine CONCACAF nations.

It's too bad virtually no one will notice.

The usual diehard fans will pay attention, as will some of the foreign press. But head out of CONCACAF territory and any news about this tournament will be met with a yawn.

MLS teams need to compete in a prestigious international tournament in order to gain respect and notoriety abroad, but the CONCACAF Champions Cup is not that tournament.

Copa Libertadores is.

When it comes to prestigious international club tournaments, South America's Copa Libertadores is second only to the European Champions League. Copa Libertadores has been played each year since 1960. Some of the most storied clubs in the world have long competed, including Boca Juniors of Argentina, the club that produced Diego Armando Maradona, and Santos of Brazil, former home of Pele and the self-proclaimed best club in the world.

But what makes this tournament more appealing for MLS clubs is that it is important in soccer-loving nations. A finals appearance by the Galaxy in the CONCACAF Champions Cup would not be nearly as important as a run to the Copa Libertadores finals.

CONCACAF is a decent soccer federation, but it is very top-heavy. Besides the United States, Mexico and maybe Costa Rica, the remaining nations are very weak. South America is not quite like that. Brazil and Argentina dominate, but Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia are tough, and Chile, Ecuador and Peru can hold their own.

In 2001 the Galaxy won the CONCACAF Champions Cup. That victory was supposed to have earned the Galaxy a spot in the FIFA World Club Championship that summer, but the tournament was canceled and may never be brought back. The next season, the Galaxy was not invited back to the CONCACAF tournament.

A year ago Pachuca beat Morelia in an all-Mexican final. The match received little interest in the Mexican press, which instead put its focus on the Mexican League.

On the other hand, the 2001 Copa Libertadores final between Cruz Azul of Mexico and Boca Juniors caught the interest of all of South America. Cruz Azul sold out the 110,000-seat Estadio Azteca in its run to the finals. Mexico got behind Cruz Azul, while Argentines pulled for Boca. A year ago Paraguay and Brazil grabbed the spotlight in South America, and Paraguayan fans rejoiced when Olimpia downed Sao Caetano in the finals.

People noticed, and clubs gained respect.

In the world of international soccer, MLS clubs are not respected.

When Manchester United announced a four-match tour in the United States last year, the club chose to play friendlies against teams from Scotland, Mexico, Spain and Italy. The Galaxy and other MLS clubs were left out in the cold.

Mexican clubs regularly play their American counterparts but often send reserves to play and use those games as training matches instead of a chance to prove what league and what clubs are better.

MLS needs to persuade CONMEBOL, South America's ruling soccer body, to allow MLS clubs in Copa Libertadores. Mexico gained admittance into the tournament just five years ago and is still not guaranteed a spot. CONMEBOL needs to allow the best clubs in the Americas the chance to try to become the best team in the Americas.

Reach Luis Bueno at sports@pe.com.