Jonathan Gonzalez gets first call-up to Mexican national team
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Jan 25, 2018
Having had his switch of association from the USA to Mexico approved by FIFA, 18-year-old Californian Jonathan Gonzalez was called up by Mexico for its friendly against Bosnia & Herzegovina Wednesday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Gonzalez was one of 23 players called in by Coach Juan Carlos Osorio. Since the game is a friendly played outside of the FIFA calendar, only players based in Liga MX and MLS (which is in preseason) were called in.
Carlos Vela from Los Angeles FC and Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos from the LA Galaxy were invited.
Gonzalez, who helped Monterrey win the first phase of the Torneo Apertura and Copa MX, is the youngest player called in and one of two uncapped players along with Victor Guzman of Pachuca.
His decision to switch from the USA to Mexico after playing for the USA at the way through its youth national system dominated the news in recent weeks. In particular, it called into question how much U.S. Soccer worked to keep him and the workings of the national team program in the aftermath of the USA's exit from the 2018 World Cup.
Mexico Roster:
Goalkeepers: Rodolfo Cota (Guadalajara), Jonathan Orozco (Santos Laguna), Gibran Lajud (Tijuana).
Defenders: Nestor Araujo (Santos), Hugo Ayala (Tigres) Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Jesus Gallardo (UNAM), Oswaldo Alanis (Guadalajara), Edson Alvarez (Club America), Luis Rodriguez (Tigres).
Midfielders: Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Jonathan Gonzalez (Monterrey), Orbelin Pineda (Guadalajara), Jorge Hernandez (Pachuca), Victor Guzman (Pachuca), Elias Hernandez (Leon).
Forwards: Carlos Vela (LAFC), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Javier Aquino (Tigres), Jurgen Damm (Tigres), Alan Pulido (Guadalajara), Rodolfo Pizarro (Guadalajara), Henry Martin (Club America).
5 comments about "Jonathan Gonzalez gets first call-up to Mexican national team".
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Quick cap tie. Of course. Don't care to hear anything else about him unless and until he plays against us in an important match. Good luck to him if/when he does which at that point will justify all the US teeth gnashing.
You should at least care to learn about the US Soccer deficiencies that this case as revealed. Jonathan is not the problem--US Soccer is.
There is no cap tie because it is a friendly. He is, however, tied to Mexico because of the switch.
Gonzalez made the one-time switch with FIFA to make him eligible to represent Mexico. That decision permanently locks him into Mexico's National Team. He does not have to appear in a match (and it would have to be a competitive match, not a friendly, at that) to tie him to the Mexican team.
Wishing him success. The players around him will drive his limits.