Can you provide proof of this? I might be wrong, but I thought he was a key starter for them (wasn't he today?) and highly regarded by them. Look at the 1997-later Yanks on Foreign YNTs thread and there's plenty of evidence he has been a starter.
The starters are numbered 1-11, he is number 15. The only game he started was the last group game against Jamaica game but that's when the starters were rested. The first two pictures are the first two group games he is not starting. He also didn't start when Mex played Canada in the semis he's like second off the bench he comes in for the number 8.
Thats good for us that he doesn't start. If he's not their best player, he's clearly one of them. If they have him as a fringe player, maybe he won't be called in for their next U-15 roster.
Gotcha. He was wearing the #8 for Mexico earlier this year, but it seems someone has pushed him out of that now. I guess we can say he was once a starter for them, but is not now.
Check out @LAGalaxyII's Tweet: 😳😳😳Watch @efrain_alvarez1's game winning assist in the @CONCACAF Championship: https://t.co/pDfe3ntRAL pic.twitter.com/ZLqKqkKiyv— LA Galaxy II (@LAGalaxyII) August 19, 2017
To be fair, he didn't say that no one has heard anything from Hanif. Exact quote was "we haven't heard much about him since [a year and a half ago]" which would be consistent with the photographs and a few lines in the article. That's around 4:30 of the August 2 podcast. I personally like both the style and substance of Will's work, but I can understand if he's not everyone's cup of tea.
I doubt Alvarez is a fringe player to the degree of not being called up to Mexico's U15s at all, but it does appear he has been demoted to being a bench/substitute player for them. Just one start in this tournament. Either Alvarez is truly not good enough to start for them, or it's because they have somewhat of a bias against an American-developed MLS academy player. In any case, that bodes well for the US eventually getting him. This is just their U15s and he's not even a regular starter for them. And he appears to be happy with his LAG teammates' USYNT successes, so he likes the US too, just not as much as he likes Mexico.
If we're going to analyze every bit of Alvarez news through the viewpoint that he's just one small perceived disappointment away from switching back to the U.S., it may be a long few years around here.
Instead of continuing to nitpick every update from Alvarez, I'll now (hopefully) leave it at that he will surely be with Mexico YNTs for the foreseeable future, as he clearly wants to be. And he could break through and make their senior team someday. He also has a realistic chance of joining the US down the road (not any time soon) like other former Mexico players have, considering A) Mexico provides tough competition, and B) potential undervaluing of an American-based player, one or both of which could be why he's not currently a starter. In any case, a long way from a final decision.
Honestly, Alvarez and FMF seem very happy with each other. Hugging the Mexican flag pretty much tells you all you need to know. USSF has alot of bright prospects from '02 on that have the potential to be on the same level, so one player leaving is nothing to cry over. Time to move on.
Move on, sure, but who are these similar level prospects? There might be a few, but I don't see tons better than him or ones that have similar potential.
I don't believe that Alvarez is a great prospect, he is mostly just an early developer. Will be surpassed by many.
Not so sure about that. He's big for an attacking mid his age, but very skilled. In terms of overall skill, I'd put him in the Pulisic, Carleton, Pomykal, Taitague realm, somewhere there. He's not some Sebastian Saucedo or Tommy Thompson, IMO.
I don't know. Very strong foot, very accurate, but I don't see AM level quickness. I like'd Saucedo 3 years ago, not anymore.
Yeah, but Saucedo just isn't nearly as good. Alvarez is incredibly skillful- just look at the backspin on that freekick that makes Las flail. He also has that chip that he does all the time, and even if he is an early developer, he was a 14 year old playing against 18 year olds last year.
The way that Alvarez weighs his shots and passes is incredibly good, 1st touch is elite too. I think his quickness as he gets older can certainly be a concern and he's way too left foot dominant, but he's a damn good prospect.