The Vancouver Whitecaps have announced that 17-year-old striker Omar Salgado is available for immediate selection after his International Transfer Certificate was approved by FIFA.
The top pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft was expected to be out until perhaps his 18th birthday in September due to FIFA’s restrictions on youth players playing outside their home countries.
The Texas native is currently participating in the U.S. U-20 National Team camp ahead of its qualifying tournament for the 2011 U-20 World Cup in Colombia.
"I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to my club on the field and I will continue working hard, so that I am ready when the day comes,” Salgado told the club’s official website.
The move was also approved by the United States and Canadian soccer federations.
“Omar is a great talent and will be an important player to the club,” Vancouver head coach Teitur Thordarson said. “To have the news that he will be able to play from this point on is great for us, as Omar has already showed us that he can play on this level. I’m delighted for him and the club.”
What do you think of this development? How big an impact with Salgado have in his rookie season? Excited to see what the teenager can do?
Share your thoughts below.
No. MLS really needs Canada in their league. FC Edmonton would be another fine addition.
Canada really needs their own league
Scotland has its own national team in FIFA. Look at the Olympics – there is only a UK team. It’s just an exception from FIFA.
No, because they are sovereign nations. In the UK, they have separate FAs for the purposes of FIFA, but it’s still the same country. Notice there is not “England” team at the Olympics. So it’s not really the same thing. But I hope that the USA and Canada could somehow negotiate with FIFA to get these things fast-tracked intra-league.
Actually,
Australia is New Zealand’s bitch!!!
LOL
I doubt it. All they would have to do is look at the murder rate per capita in Canada compared to the US. Then they would know that Canada couldn’t possibly be part of the US.
Reading some of these comments made my eyes sad.
I thought they claimed that the US “poached” him. Just like they have ALWAYS done and CONTINUE to do with young Mexican players. Like Omar Salgado… and that guy… with the eyes…ya know…. he has that hair sometimes…
When did I say Quebec was like Wales? That was another poster who called them both nations? Which Quebec isn’t.
+1 for the Wire reference
Atiba Harris also could be shifted to the wings
+1 for civics lesson
Omar Comin’!
FIFA doesn’t screw up for once!
Is this a blanket ruling that applies to all such cases, or will future under-18 players have to go through the same process to get approval?
If you’re going to claim that Salgado said he wouldn’t rule out playing for Spain’s NT, you’re going to need to provide a link and a quote.
Of course he wants to use a Spanish passport to one day play in Europe, that’s no different from all the other Americans who try to play in Europe and doesn’t mean he’s not committed to Vancouver.
Mike, thanks for the clarification, dude.
I’m pretty sure Joe Ledley played for Cardiff when he was 17 but he may be Welsh