There still may be some hope of a bright teenage prospect representing the U.S. Men’s National Team, despite having switched his allegiance to Mexico in 2017.
[ MORE: Five USMNT players to watch during their club adventures ]
LA Galaxy youth Efrain Alvarez currently represents El Tri at the youth international level, however, the 16-year-old won’t rule out making a comeback to the USMNT setup.
“I’m not closing the door on anyone,” Alvarez said ahead of Tuesday’s MLS Homegrown Game. “I could still play for the U.S. or I could keep playing for Mexico. But I’m with Mexico right now and that’s my focus.”
Similarly to Jonathan Gonzalez, Alvarez grew up in California and after representing the U.S. Under-15 national team two years ago opted to change his national team selection to Mexico.
Alvarez has impressed with LA Galaxy II this season by scoring eight goals in as many matches, making him a highly-coveted prospect.
“Something happened with the U.S., and then Mexico came knocking on my door, and I tried it and I liked it there,” Alvarez said.
While it’s not a certainty that Alvarez will come back to the U.S. on the international scene, a player of his caliber would surely be beneficial for the growth of a country that has just missed a World Cup for the first time in 28 years.
