Padilla, who goes by the nickname "Gringo," was raised in San Jose and moved to Guadalajara at the age of 14 to join Chivas' youth system.
Where he was born is a matter of dispute. Chivas has claimed he was born in the Jalisco town of San Miguel el Alto -- the Guadalajara club is famous for only signing Mexican players -- but according to documentation uncovered by si.com, Padilla was born in San Jose on March 3, 1987.
Padilla was called into a U.S. U-20 camp in 2007 but did not attend. His older sister, Carmen, played for the University of Pacific and the Mexican national team.
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