Alvarez wearing #15. 📄 | NOTA | #Sub15 | Derrotamos al Cruz Azul Sub-17 en partido de preparación. ⚽️Los detalles 👉🏻 https://t.co/wFGChrtLpr#PasiónyOrgullo pic.twitter.com/tgvsRFMWCG— Selección Nacional (@miseleccionmx) August 2, 2017
Here's a photo of Carlos Avilez with the Mexico U18s, fourth from left in the back row. I'm guessing he was their #1 keeper based on the listing of the roster. Avilez would likely be, at best, the fourth-string US U18 keeper, behind Brady Scott of FC Cologne, Brandon Austin of Tottenham Hotspur, and Eric Lopez of LA Galaxy. This is the last time he was capped by our YNTs, in 2015 with our U16s at the Aegean Cup in Turkey. (Upper left)
By the way, Alvarez now has a Twitter account, and he has prominently displayed his FMF affiliation, so those hoping for a switch to the U.S. may have to wait. Check out @efrain_alvarez1's Tweet: I have officially signed my first professional contract!!! Happy to be part of this great organization like it's the @LAGalaxy @LAGalaxyII pic.twitter.com/YtQ53CfAhi— Efrain Alvarez (@efrain_alvarez1) August 3, 2017
Certainly looks like you were on to something. Alex Mendez, Jake Arteaga and Uly Llanez have been called to the USA U17 World prep camp at Nike Headquarters. https://t.co/WdNYL3UPr4— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) August 4, 2017
I think its obvious to everyone that Alvarez prefers Mexico. But lets remember that he had previously accepted US call ups, so I'm not sure he really dislikes the US program, like some Mexican-Americans do. Maybe he just prefers the Mexican program, but likes the US program and has good things to say about the US program, as well. I don't think we should characterize this as we are not in good standing with Alvarez, Mexico is just in better standing right now. There is no indication that we are not in good standing. Gonzalez supposedly preferred the Mexican program, his family did, as well. When it mattered at the senior level, he picked the USA because he thought he would get more of a chance, given the difference in perceptions between Arena and Osorio of MLS. He has the same agent as Gonzalez, as @ChuckMe92 mentioned, so maybe that type of switch will happen eventually.
Viewing Alvarez's Twitter profile above, one can see that he's retweeted USYNT stuff from fellow LAGers, so he doesn't dislike the US, he just prefers Mexico more. Not only is Alvarez's new (American) agent the same as Jesse Gonzalez's, Gonzalez himself said that Wadsworth was the one who suggested Gonzalez switch to the US. Doubt that happens anytime soon with Alvarez, but it might happen in his early 20s. As with Gonzalez, Wadsworth will act solely in the best interests of Alvarez's career whether that is with Mexico or the US, not because of some sentiment to stick with Mexico no matter what. Another point to consider is how comfortable Alvarez will be playing against Llanez, Sepulveda, Arteaga, Lopez, Mendez, Hilton, Ceja, Cano, etc. in the long run. LAG has literally dozens of youngsters who play for USYNTs, perhaps the most of any club in the county, some of whom are highly rated. I'm sure Alvarez is close friends with many of them, playing and interacting with them daily, obviously more often than with the Mexico youth players. Llanez, who it seems might be Alvarez's best friend dating back to their days at now-defunct Chivas USA, is increasingly likely to commit to the US over Mexico (if he hasn't already) despite being coveted by Mexico. Sepulveda is good enough for Mexico IMO, but he seems pretty committed to the US too, as our U16 captain. Might have declined a Mexico callup, for all we know. For Alvarez, Mexico tops the US in terms of patriotic sentiment. But Alvarez has strong bonds with LAG/USYNT players he has been with for years, most of all with Llanez. From that sense, it could be more comfortable to play with them rather than against them.
Understanding that a lot of what's said on message boards amounts to speculative armchair psychoanalysis, this is ... HIGHLY speculative armchair psychoanalysis. But even if you're right about the inner life of a guy who already decided to play for another country after playing for this one, over the course of a reasonably long career him and his pals can reasonably be expected to switch clubs many times over.
Hector Holguin looks like he is headed to a U16 camp with Mexico: Selección Mexicana🇲🇽⚽#TriSub16🇲🇽#IWILL https://t.co/CKbo91CUky— Hector Holpe (@hectorholpee) August 6, 2017
And here's the roster that I spent 30 minutes nosing around FMF's site looking for yesterday: https://miseleccion.mx/la-snm-sub-16-se-encuentra-trabajando-car/ Yanks: 12 Hinojosa Julián FC Dallas Defensa 13 Holguín Pérez Héctor Hipólito Santos Portero Hinojosa has some US U16 camp appearances. I think this is his first Mexico call-up, at least as far as this thread is concerned: https://www.fcdallas.com/players/julian-hinojosa
Hinojosa was called up to Mexico U16s in March and February, and the December before that. With the US, he has been mostly a backup and was last with our U16s in October. I believe he is a left back, so that would explain Mexico calling up a US bench player -- for a thin position.
Bryan Celis ('00) training with the Chile U-17 team. He plays for BW Gottschee, only started 10 of 22 games this past season in the DA, playing in his normal age group, so I assume he's not that good, but maybe I'm wrong. He's already trained with Chile's U-17's last November. Chilean father, Guatemalan mother. Listed in the DA database as a US national. http://www.anfp.cl/noticia/29001/ju...invitado-a-entrenar-con-la-sub-17-en-portland
Late to posting this, but Efrain Alvarez is indeed on Mexico U15's roster for the CONCACAF U15 Championship in Florida. He's scored two goals so far, both against the Cayman Islands.
Efrain Alvarez with the game winning assist for the U15 Mexican National Team vs USA in the Concacaf Championship. https://t.co/mvxQl3D5xN pic.twitter.com/7JvtT0K0mB— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) August 19, 2017
Rossi doesn't hate the US or US Soccer, neither does Alvarez. Alvarez has regularly retweeted USYNT stuff from LAG teammates. They just prefer representing the countries of their heritage as long as that opportunity exists. Also, keep in mind that the US couldn't get this guy below for a while either. Mexico is a good national team program with good competition at all age levels. Alvarez apparently was mostly a backup for this tournament, and has been dropped from wearing their #8. And Mexico also tends to not value as much players who have not ever been proven in Liga MX or Europe, if Alvarez wants to make a career at LAG like Gonzalez is with FCD. The US still has a good chance at Alvarez in the long run. Though if he makes a move abroad, those chances would drop. No busques al éxito, trabaja duro y el éxito te encontrará🙏🏻🇲🇽⚽️ pic.twitter.com/rqVg8rdy2V— Jesse Gonzalez (@jessegonzalez44) April 1, 2016
Good thing Alvarez isnt a goalkeeper so its not a position of need not only that Mexico tends to favor players who play in his position, which means has a much much higher probability of staying with Mexico
That's a fair point, but again, Alvarez has been dropped from the #8 and started just one match this tournament, and this is the U15s. I didn't realize that before, but apparently his PT for Mexico U15s has dropped off. Mexico has good field players at all age levels and has a lot of competition. Lainez would probably be one name that comes to mind who is superior to Alvarez, for instance, and there may be more. Whether Alvarez isn't being properly valued or simply isn't good enough for Mexico, there is clearly a realistic chance he may not make it to El Tri's senior team. And it's also good for the US he chose to sign with LAG, at least for now.
🇫🇮 @Niko_Hamalainen has been called-up by Finland Under-21s for two matches next month: https://t.co/HBb99ixFv7 pic.twitter.com/uOFoIUTDoV— QPR FC (@QPR) August 21, 2017
German-American '99 Timothy Tillman makes Germany's U19 roster for upcoming matches https://t.co/KXJwbpTvjX #usynt #USMNT— Joey (@USAprospects) August 22, 2017
900816566635442176 is not a valid tweet id Max has also been in camp for the US U17s: https://www.sportingkc.com/post/201...nd-maxi-rugova-selected-us-u-17-training-camp UEFA U19s are in a qualification cycle this year. Kosovo plays their 1st ever match in the tournament in October.
From the cesspool that is BSMX: @AlexZendejas8 representará al país con la Selección Nacional Sub-21. ¡Muchas felicidades! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻#CañerosPorTradición 💚 pic.twitter.com/0sGXor68bF— CA Zacatepec (@CA_Zacatepec) August 24, 2017
I assume he'll be filing a one-time switch since he was provisionally cap-tied to the US at U17 level. Whether in or out of the US setup, I can only remember one other player who used his one-time switch for a youth callup: Aaron Maund, from T&T U17 to US U20. All the other players who come to mind, in or out, filed the switch only after receiving a senior callup from their new country.
More broadly, I didn't know Mexico had a U21 program. Are they basically just starting the Olympic qualifying cycle early, or is there some competition this group is preparing for? Or does the FMF just think it's a good idea?
To me this seems like preparation for the Olympic cycle. I also have no clue how Zendejas could be in it. He still hasn't made as many appearances in first team Mexican soccer as he did with FC Dallas..........................