Dual-Nationals in YNT System of Another Country

Hassan Ayari started today in the U20 AFCON, currently down 2-1 at half to Uganda.

Apropos of nothing, MLS really should scout this competition. There's some really interesting players. #11 from Uganda isn't playing today but impressed me before, and Ghana's #9 Percious Boah will probably win player of the tournament. Boah plays for a team in Accra, I have to think he'd be worth bringing over for a trial.

 

¡Goool de @ClubSantos! Apareció 'Santi' Muñoz para poner en ventaja al cuadro 'Guerrero'

#FOXLigaMX @SirJohnLaguna @marianot19 @pulpozuniga @RodolfoLanderos @daniella_lg pic.twitter.com/aDtXbeMYlN

— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) March 8, 2021

I fully expect Mexico to try and lock up Munoz later this year, they are very thin at striker with Jimenez out, maybe the rumors of him wanting to switch are true but I can’t see him turning down any national team caps for Mexico

 

Mexico won’t call a young player into a first choice camp unless they’re lighting up Liga MX like Lainez did. Muñoz needs to maintain a consistent form for minimum 4-5 months before he gets called up

 

Feels like Mexico is getting real aggressive with Mexican/Americans I’m sure you’ve also heard the rumor that Alvarez might be getting the call up for them in March and he didn’t exactly light up MLS last season, I might be wrong but it feels like they might make an exception given his dual nationality

 

I don’t think Efra even gets close to making their u23’s much less their senior team. But a senior call up in March wouldnt lock him up. Both pools are deep enough for Mexico that that at don’t need to lean on a 2002 in any position for senior or u23’s unless they’re Gio/Yunus talented which they don’t have any. Them having to cap tie an Efra/Muñoz now would show to me that their future pool is even weaker than what we’re expecting. Those two are good but not must cap tie now good

 

📋🇸🇻| Los 2️⃣0️⃣ convocados por @hugoperez_07 para la #SelecciónPreOlimpica que buscará el boleto a #Tokio2020 #ElSalvador #SelectaSub23 pic.twitter.com/czmXOeRkN9

— La Selecta (@LaSelecta_SLV) March 8, 2021

Josh Perez and Eric Calvillo are on the El Salvador Olympic qualifying squad.

 

Alex Mighten and Folarin Balogun [emoji102][emoji102]

Alex Mighten paying attention to who Yunus Musah chooses internationally 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/wL1qUaAvjs

— The Yank Watch (@TheYankWatch) March 15, 2021

BALOGUN 👀 pic.twitter.com/EObvuMXndv

— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) March 15, 2021

 

We'll get Mighten if we want him. Balogun is the harder sell................................

 

I'm hearing that Hugo Perez is no longer working for Silicon Valley Soccer Academy. He may be affiliated in some way with De Anza Force.

I also heard he has recruited 03 Brandon Zelaya, 04 Edgar Damian Alguera and 04 Alejandro Cano to attend a training camp in El Salvador at the end of May. Sounds like they will be playing in a Central American tournament that will be a cap tying event.

 

That puts Zelaya in rare territory of playing for three different YNTs in a roughly 20-month span. USYNT in September 2019 and El Tri sporadically in 2020.

Maki Tall is another US-eligible name that played for three different YNTs including the US. Probably more exist but are not coming to mind at the moment.

 

Alex Zahavi!

 

Let's hope Balogun and Mighten send up being slightly more important for the US national team than Maki Tall and Alex Zahavi

 

The lesson of Zahavi is that we shouldn't get too excited about youth players at big clubs when it turns out that their great-uncle is one of the biggest agents in the sport.