The person who made that comment is related to him. I wouldn’t believe we have better info on his situation than they do.
I would. We are savants when it comes to citizenship and FIFA rules. Idiot savants, sure, but savants none-the-less. There have been lots of players through the years who haven't understood either US citizenship laws or FIFA rules or both and have said things they thought they could do when it turned out they couldn't. Anyone remember way back when Michael Ricketts, then a Premier League forward, thought he could play for the US because his dad lived here? This happens time and time again. And even if he is eligible, it's still very dubious whether he'd be good enough.
I remember the Bradley Johnson boomlet. Hell, how about Danny Potts? The guy was in U20 camps before both he and the USSF realized that he wasn't eligible. It's always the "but I have an American grandparent" people you should view with skepticism. It's usually a sign that they don't understand how American citizenship law works.
📹 #NoTeLoPierdas G⚽⚽⚽L de Santiago MuñozSantos 1-1 América#Jornada4 ➡️ #Guard1anes2021 ⚽ #LigaBBVAMX pic.twitter.com/lF8I43TuEY— Liga BBVA MX (@LigaBBVAMX) February 1, 2021
Take the source for what it's worth, but someone on reddit said that they were told by a family friend of Munoz that he wants to play for the USA, yet hasn't been contacted yet. There have been a few suggestions in the media before that he might want to represent the USA. Our '02 crop of strikers isn't looking so great right now. After Ocampo-Chavez, there are almost no viable options. We could absolutely use Munoz in the US system.
This is the exact quote from the person. https://www.reddit.com/r/ussoccer/comments/la3sra/el_paso_bornmexican_u17_striker_santiago_munoz/
What's he get out of a switch, though? A few years ago, switching would've made a player with his pedigree a lock for regular USMNT appearance. Now? Is he gonna start above (pick the order you want) Sargent, Hoppe, Soto, Gioacchini, Dike, Ferreira, Zardes, Altidore, Wright, Novokovich, Ebobisse? I mean, maybe he's better than all of them. Maybe he's better than some of them. Or maybe he'd never get any playing time. The reason to switch national teams is usually for more playing time. Would Munoz get that with a switch? I'd love to see the USMNT with a star Mexican-American attacking player as I think it could do wonder for American soccer going forward. But I'm not sure switching to the US is in the best interest of this kid.
Munoz is going to be U-23 eligible for next cycle. The '00 strikers have a lot of depth, but none of them have really emerged yet as top players. The would-be U-20 crop (Hoppe, AOC, Kelman, J. Gomez) isn't as talented. The next few age groups after that ('03, '04, '05) don't look that deep in CF's. Players might emerge, but Munoz absolutely would be in the discussion for the would-be U-20 team and the U-23 team for next cycle, as of now. He's not good enough to play for either senior NT yet, so I don't think this is about wanting more playing time. Both NT's are also (for now) roughly at the same level. A switch isn't that risky. If you are good enough (right now) for one, you'll probably be good enough for the other, and if you aren't good enough for one you probably aren't good enough for the other. Also, Mexico isn't bad at the CF position right now. They have proven players like Jimenez, Pulido, Chicharito that probably will be able to fill the position for the 2022 and 2026 cycles, even if their younger strikers don't pan out. They also have some younger CF's like Macias, Gimenez, Vega that are among their better young players. I think we clearly have the better future at the position, but I could see why someone wouldn't be looking at it as Mexico provides such a better opportunity. He might also just prefer to play for the USA. Some players don't care about making the business decision, and will play for the team they prefer to play for. If Munoz has yet to be contacted by the USA, we won't know his official position on who he'd rather play for because it's a moot point until the US contacts him. It's only speculation.
He said it himself in an interview he had with a YouTuber. But it is the typical answer of any dual nat when asked about which NT he wants to play with; "I'll play with whoever calls me first."
Yup. Munoz isn't near the senior national team of either country. He's scored one Liga MX goal. He's in the same boat as a young MLS-based forward like Pepi. [I'd say Pepi has proven more with the FCD first team than Munoz has at Santos. Still amazing that this was the forward line of FCD El Paso. Yikes.] But anyway, I want as many young players "in the hopper" as possible. The more competition, the better. The problem is simply one of logistics. We're not having U20 camps. We're not having any more U23 camps, and he's not going to be part of the Olympic group. He's not going to be called up to the full USMNT. So when exactly, and for which team............................would we call up Munoz???? Same for a guy like Charlie Kelman or Johan Gomez or Jalen Hawkins or Cam Harper. Those were the listed forwards on the last U20 camp roster. Unless one of those guys has a real breakout in club football in the near future, the next camp those guys are going to go to is the start of the 2024 Olympic cycle. Now, in a perfect world we'd start having camps for that team as soon as this Olympic cycle ends. And that would be an effort to make up for lost time with the current U20 team........................
This team has a Mexican technical director, which might’ve been the reason they wanted to sign him. He’s been rumored to go to a few different clubs in Europe. Getting him out of Liga MX would be helpful for there to be an eventual NT switch Cercle came very close to signing 18 year old Mexican striker Santiago Muñoz on loan on deadline day. His club Santos called the deal off last minute. #levecercle 💚🖤 pic.twitter.com/x1twImxR9p— Cercle Brugge NWS (@CercleBruggeNWS) February 4, 2021
I think Jon Arnold would love to be the first with the scoop on this story. The Striker is a twitter feed worth following for all things Texas soccer. “Yes, there have been approaches about the U.S. national team. Not long ago I spoke with people there."@ArnoldcommaJon talks to Santiago Muñoz about his life's opportunities, including choosing between #ElTri and the #USMNThttps://t.co/ujvDkZZzwH— The Striker (@TheStrikerNews) February 9, 2021
18 yr old 🇺🇸🇩🇰 dual nat CB, Kristoffer Lund, subs on for Midtjylland in the Danish Cup to make his first team debut! https://t.co/Ml4oa4Cz4f— 🇺🇸 ⚽ east (@eastdeflection) February 11, 2021
Munoz is getting good reviews for his start last night. 18-year-old 🇲🇽🇺🇸 striker Santiago Muñoz is in the starting XI tonight to face Monterrey! 💪It's Santi's first start in Liga MX. 👏#ModoGuerrero 🇳🇬⚔️ pic.twitter.com/L5hYcrTkDh— Club Santos EN (@ClubSantosEn) February 15, 2021
Kik said more or less the same thing he’s been saying since The Athletic talked to him in October 2018. He’s going to give the Netherlands quite a few chances before he truly thinks about filing a one-time switch.— Daniel (@DanielSmith1022) February 17, 2021
'01 US-born CB Oisin McEntee returns to the lineup of Newcastle U23. He missed most of this season due to injury. He has captained Irish youth teams but could become a US target if he breaks into Newcastle's first team. https://t.co/ve3AcDi9EU— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) February 22, 2021 Maurice Malone now ranks 4th in goal contributions in 3. Liga, so he should have interest from 2. Bundesliga sides for next season.With 10 goals + 7 assists in only about 1500 mins, Malone has a higher GC/90 rate than anyone else in the top ten for GCs, including Terrence Boyd. https://t.co/dPNvP46VsN— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) February 22, 2021
Former USYNT and current Germany YNT attacking midfielder Malik Tillman has been out at Bayern since October due to a cruciate ligament injury and hopes to return by May. He remains one of the top US-eligible dual-nat prospects. https://t.co/wXrCDXLmUJ— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) February 22, 2021