This is quite a big deal: - saves the Revs a international slot - starts the clock ticking towards USNT eligibility - it also may make it easier for him to play overseas (I would assume he wouldn't have risked leaving the US long-term before having the protection of residency). Strange that it's taken this long, but better late than never.
Katie Mattaini @katiemattaini5m Interesting that #NERevs announce Diego's permanent resident status on the day we hear rumors that a Uruguayan team is interested in him.
"U.S. naturalization laws state that Fagundez must now wait five years before applying for citizenship (it can be reduced to three if he marries a citizen) so fall 2018 appears to be the most likely date he can get a passport and, theoretically, suit up for the Yanks. But there are a few stipulations in there. He has to live in the U.S. for 30 months in those five years, he cannot be outside the country for more than six months in a row and he has to live in the U.S. from the date he applies for citizenship until he receives it, which can take weeks or months. So what happens if Fagundez leaves to play in Europe? He would have to do so only after April 2016 (30 months from now), but he could leave as early as April 2015 so long as he returns for at least eight weeks each summer in his offseason. He would also have to ensure that he comes back to the U.S. at least once every six months, even if only for a day or a weekend." http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/us...2/diego-fagundez-usa-citizen-green-card-usmnt
Fantastic news! Eh, Diego just signed an extension, and I've never heard of South American clubs paying transfer fees, so I doubt he goes anywhere. I think Diego's here for the foreseeable future, maybe until age 22-23, when he has multiple strong MLS seasons under his belt and he can make a big splash in Europe at his highest potential value.
How realistic is it that the 2 are actually linked with each other? I'd imagine the Revs and Diego have been working toward this since he signed with the team.
Is it really that strange? I don't want to start a fire and then run away, so all I'll ask is you put yourself in the shoes of his parents and the stance the state's top law enforcer takes on such things. Logic should tell you to why there was no rush for a number of understandable reasons.
There's a long way to go before he can play for the United States Mutant Ninja Turtles. If he gets married to an American tomorrow and lives in the U.S.A. for three years and gets his citizenship, he won't yet be eligible. There's citizenship laws and FIFA rules. FIFA rule and there's also this: http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/AFFederation/Generic/02/14/97/88/FIFAStatuten2013_E_Neutral.pdf Definitions http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tou...egulations_gov_international_matches_2011.pdf http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/AFFederation/Generic/02/14/97/88/FIFAStatuten2013_E_Neutral.pdf In short, if he plays for Uruguay in an official competition before he gets citizenship with the U.S., he'll become cap-tied to them. He already has two U-20 caps with Uruguay but these were in friendlies.
Wait, so if he plays in a qualifier for a Ux World Cup he's cap tied? That doesn't sound like how I thought the system worked
You have to be a citizen or eligible for citizenship for both countries before you represent one in a competitive match. Otherwise you're cap-tied.
Yes, I can understand the reluctance to put in an application. But, by the time he joined the academy, things were pretty much out in the open. Maybe he applied then and it's taken this long - or maybe he waited longer before applying.
My understanding is it usually takes 2-3 years to get a green card, even with an employer sponsoring the applicant. I'm guessing he applied pretty much as soon as he signed his pro contract and had a work visa.
Yes, but he's leaving himself an out (something along the lines of "I've got options"). If he gets an alluring offer from a European club, it's going to be tough to turn down in order to continue his 5+ year wait (along with the residency requirement). If he gets a nice offer in the next few years (and I would expect he will), it'll be very easy to take it and "settle" for playing for Uruguay. I wish it were otherwise, but I'm not going to count on him playing for the USNT until that citizenship comes through.
It's a whacky system when someone that lives their whole life in Germany can play for the US before someone who has grown up in the US and been here for most of his life.
Yeah, but a lot of countries weigh more heavily the origin of the parents and grandparents. For example, Germany brought in a lot of Turkish "guest workers" starting in the late '60s. Today, Turks are the largest single ethinic group in Germany. I had to laugh when a German once complained to me that the Turks in Germany support the Turkish national team, not Germany. So these people have been here many years, settled down and had children, who were born in Germany. These children are Turkish citizens, not German. In the US, they'd be US citizens if they were born here. Meanwhile, these kids were born and raised in Germany, speak German, may only know Turkish and Turkey through what their parents pass on, and generally are as "German" as any guy named Hans or Klaus-Dieter. But theorhetically, they could get deported "back" to a country they never knew. In the case of the players, usually the American is elligible because one parent is a US citizen, so no matter where the kid was born, he counts. In Diego's case, he wasn't born here, so that muddies the situation, even if he has lived almost his whole life here.
The system just values citizenship over residency - a permanent status over a temporary one. What is wacky, IMO, is an immigration system that leaves people afraid to apply for residency/citizenship.
This rule must not be enforced very much -- we have several players on our USMNT that have probably NEVER lived continuously on the territory of the relevant Association: we have a couple of 'Germany' territory folks in particular..
That rule only applies for plays who acquire new citizenship. The current crop of German-Americans have all been American citizens from birth.
Plus he's also got the record for most MLS goals during teenage years - with a full year to extend it further.