Dual nationals like Alejandro Zendejas face an irreversible choice, and the USMNT has no guarantees

Playing for the U.S. when also eligible for another country isn’t simply an honor. It’s also a conundrum for players who have to make a choice for life.

Alejandro Zendejas has been recruited by the U.S. and Mexican national teams.Read moreHarry How / MCT

by Andrea Canales

Published Jan. 28, 2023, 5:00 a.m. ET

Alejandro Zendejas had his script memorized for a news conference ahead of his senior U.S. men’s national team debut.

“It’s an honor to be here,” he said. “Enjoying the moment, trying to take advantage of this opportunity.”

He repeated some variation of those words about seven times before questions were cut off.

The unsaid truth regarding Zendejas, 24, and his situation as a dual national, however, is that playing for the U.S. when one is also eligible for another country isn’t simply an honor. It’s also a conundrum, because committing one’s career and international options to a nation in competitive games on the senior level shuts the other one out forever.

Sometimes the decision is easier for certain players to make.

“I want to win trophies; I want to win medals with this country,” said goalkeeper Gaga Slonina, “Obviously, I have Polish roots, but my heart was American.”

For Cade Cowell, 19 — whose Mexican roots might be more obvious if, as is done in Latin countries, his mother’s family name of Maldonado was added on as a surname — his situation is more similar to that of Zendejas, and for that matter, Brandon Vásquez, 24, and Jonathan Gómez, 19. All are eligible to play for Mexico, another top Concacaf team; and all participated in the U.S. team’s January camp, which concludes Saturday with a game against Colombia (7:30 p.m., TNT, Telemundo 62, Peacock). Gómez and Zendejas departed camp early in preplanned returns to their clubs.

Midfielder Alan Soñora, 24, an Argentine-American, is realistic about his choice.

“You always dream of getting to play for the national team,” the former Independiente midfielder told The Inquirer in Spanish. “Argentina never called me, so I always had the idea to play for the U.S. Everyone has to make their own decisions.”

In Wednesday’s 2-1 loss against Serbia, the dual nationals showed their quality. Slonina, 18, became the youngest USMNT goalkeeper to play on the international level and made some impressive saves. Vásquez scored the lone goal with a fine header. Cowell and Zendejas were the most active attacking players, with Cowell hitting both goalposts, once off a Gómez pass.

“I’m a midfielder who likes to possess the ball, get passes to my teammates,” Soñora said, and he ably demonstrated that against Serbia.

Interim U.S. manager Anthony Hudson was effusive in his praise for Zendejas.

“He has to go back to his club [Club América] tonight, and I was pretty much trying to beg him to stay, because I thought he was outstanding,” Hudson said. “If we get to the end of this window and Alejandro, we can keep him with us, I think this has been — irrespective of what goes on [in games] — it’s been a hugely successful window. Because this guy, he’s an exciting player.”

As the interim during a period in which there have been a raft of departures in U.S. Soccer’s administration — men’s team manager Gregg Berhalter and GM Brian McBride, and sporting director Earnie Stewart — Hudson isn’t in any position to make Zendejas or other dual nationals any promises about their future.

So who’s in charge? A U.S. Soccer spokesperson told The Inquirer: “The process with dual nationals is a collective approach within the sporting department, that doesn’t include just a few people. As you would assume, our talent ID and youth national team staff are also involved.”

Soñora specified that he was first contacted by Berhalter, even though his international debut came under Hudson. With most of the other dual-national players also being Spanish speakers, Soñora felt comfortable with the group, though he is hoping to improve his English and perhaps also sign with a club in MLS.

In classic win-some, lose-some fashion, the competition between the U.S. and Mexico to win the commitment of the best players who are eligible for both nations recently includes Efraín Álvarez and Julián Araujo for Mexico, with Ricardo Pepi and Paul Arriola committing to the United States. None of these players participated in the World Cup in Qatar, however, with both Pepi and Arriola considered by many to be the final names left off the U.S. list.

Pepi, at only 20 years old, is likely to have other chances at a World Cup roster. Arriola, 27, is far less likely.

Interestingly, the best reliable recruitment asset the U.S. team has at present is also a liability of sorts — the players themselves.

The program has a young and talented generation with many players sharing common interests in music, video games and movies. Soñora described them as an affable group who welcomed him by playing Spanish music during some workouts.

“The boys have treated me great, and so has the staff,” he said. “I’m very grateful. Everyone has been great.”

Zendejas described his joy at being able to reunite and play alongside youth team players he’d been close to for years prior to going to Mexico for his club career. “It’s fun to reconnect,” he said.

All the good times aside, the reality is that players have to take an objective assessment of not only which country do they feel close to and want to represent, but which program offers the best fit and opportunities for their skills. Then with the certainty of a final decision, they can work toward their ultimate goals of making the roster at the highest levels.

“The world underestimates U.S. soccer,” said Soñora. “It’s improving all the time. It’s very competitive.”