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Corona called up by Mexican U-22s, admits USMNT interest

JoeyCorona (Getty)

By ADAM SERRANO

The chase for Club Tijuana forward Joe Benny Corona just got a bit more interesting. 

Corona has been called up by Mexico's Under-22 side for a pair of matches against Chile's Under-22s. Corona is joined on the roster by another California native, Chivas de Guadalajara left back Miguel Angel Ponce.

Corona has two goals in the Apertura for the Xoloitzcuintles (or Xolos) in their first season since being promoted into the Mexican Primera Division. Corona's rising star began during the Xolos drive for promotion, with Corona even scoring the goal that decided Club Tijuana's promotion playoff. In addition to his ability to represent Mexico and the U.S., Corona is also eligible to represent El Salvador, his mother's birth nation.

In a recent ESPN profile of Corona, Corona stated that he had been on former U.S. national team Bob Bradley's preliminary roster for the Aug. 10 friendly against Mexico but didn't end up making the final roster after Bradley's firing. During his conversation with ESPN, Corona admitted that he has been in contact with the current regime under Jurgen Klinsmann, who sent a scout to watch him in a recent match against Puebla.

What do you think of this development? Confident Corona will wind up with the U.S. national team? Think Mexico is seriously interested, or just trying to keep him from the USMNT?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Mexico has more players like Corona or better, the only difference here is that he has triple nationality: US, Mexican, and Salvadoreno. Would he elicit so much concern if he decided to play for El Salvador?

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  2. People should probably stop dissing Gomez, period. He’s been arguing for a while that MLS and USNT need to target the dual nationals. If anything, he should get called into camp just because Klinsmann might get better information from him than any scout, just because he actually plays in the league.

    Also, people really need to get a grip on the Mexico hate. The rivalry is going to involve a lot of players making choices between sides and we’d just better get used to it.

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  3. Mexico is ahead but don’t forget that they still have 8 players (to include Marco Fabian, Javier Cortes, Jonathan Dos santos) suspended for four more months because of their actions before the Copa America. So they don’t have it all together.

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  4. There are many interests at stake:
    From Mexico’s point of view, they are probably interested in this kids talent. I have followed Tijuana for more than a year now and he is KEY to their success. Part of it is also trying to keep him from the US. But remember, he is not caped tied untill he plays a qualifier, even if he does play in the Olympics.

    From Corona’s point of view, I believe he is sincere is saying he is still open for playing for the US. Mexico called him up first. I wish Klinsmann would still try to call him up on a later date. God knows we could use some good forwards.

    But there is one important thing to consider: Mexico’s Olympic squad (the same team that went to Copa America) had 8 of their players suspended before the South American Tournament started. Players like Jonathan Dos Santos, Javier Cortes and Marco Fabian are still suspended for four more months. For Corona, this is an opportunity for him to stand out in a squad that is already filled with talent. While those eight players are out, Corona has a chance to show Mexico what he has and Mexico has a need for his talent.

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  5. why is it that Mexican scouts are always “finding” potential US talent before the US… does the media not report it… or does the US scouts just suck!!!SMH… i usually dont report articles but there is a good article on Soccer America about Mexican club teams casting over US talent.. its a really good read…. why cant our scouts see the talent!!!

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  6. I am a huge fan of the Farfan bros, but they (Michael esp.) need more PT before a call up.

    After watching Gabriel shut down Kaka and Michael score when they played Real Madrid, though, I know there are call ups in the future.

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  7. M’eh. This kid scores a couple goals and now he is on everyone’s radar. He could be the next Chicharito, or he could be the next Herculez Gomez. We have enough young forwards in professional systems where I feel we don’t need to be worried about kids like Corona who pick Mexico over the USA.

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  8. psssh. We can put Corona in an Allstate commercial and overdub his voice w/ someone who sounds more stereotypically Mexican.

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  9. I agree that Mexican Americans should be made to feel more welcome here. Regardless of the soccer implications, it’s the right thing to do. And there is certainly a lot of racism against Mexican Americans.

    But, I don’t think Jake the Snake’s comment qualifies. I read his leftovers comment as meaning that those players might have preferred to play for Mexico, but weren’t good enough. It could actually be read as a complement to Mexico and their national team.

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  10. Show a little patience and understanding. Every player’s situation is different. It makes sense for someone who’s eligible for 2 or more countries to take time to figure out what to do. Why does that bother you so much?

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  11. So Mexico wants him for the U-22 team and some here want him for the senior team. Some guys need to stop being so desperate to chase any player that “might” be good. Players should be waiting to be called by the NT not the other way.

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  12. Lets be honest, it comes down to styles of play and what parts of the game certain players focus on. Some players might need to work on endurance and physical fitness, things you can actually work on.

    But skill and technique is much harder to find and to teach and also to learn. Latin players we all know are more about the possession and nice passing and aggressive offensive football. With no disrespect most of our boys in the US, white or black or Hispanic…. they come from a system of pay to play that focuses on pure great athletes and ride that wave all the way to the world cup.

    IMO Torres is WAY better than guys like McCarty, Beckerman, Clark among others oh Larentowicz. Clark being the best of the bunch and then Beckerman far FAR behind.

    Gomez I wish people would stop including him in their weird arguments of “mexican rejects” or “conflicted players”

    Guy came up thru the US ranks and started in MLS, grew up in Vegas and then in late teens in LA!

    He’s about as American as they come, go look up Glenn Davis’ podcast for Monday’s show in the 1st hour of Dynamo Access he talks about his experiences in Mexico and how sometimes he feels just as home, because of the Americanization of a big plaza in the area he lives in.

    I too don’t think players should be picked based on ethnic background. But lets face it, Orozco has merits, maybe not over John but for sure over Ream and as much as Gonzalez. Torres has plenty of merits, look up game at El Salvador in qualifying.

    Castillo, is there for the same reason Heath Pearce played so much and was still considered while sucking in a 2nd Division German team that was being relegated to 3rd, and he couldn’t even play for them horrible form!

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  13. ‘Best players’ need to be brought into the pool, they’re not born there, well most are not. Some of these players are dual nationals who need to be courted. Example, if Subotic and Rossi had been courted successfully the USA would have probably made the final 8 or higher at the last WC. That would have been huge for the USA soccer.
    So dual nationals need to be looked at when they are very young, not to create an ethnic mix, but to capture a talented player before someone else.

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  14. Most american coaches have a “philosophy” that only 6ft and up players can make it to the NT. When messi the best player in the world stands 5ft 7 could take on 6ft 7 defenders by himself. Seriously that bs needs to stop.

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  15. well, let’s add to this line of thinking:

    in the last friendly

    team goes down early? check?

    “regular” starters put in an uneven performance? check

    teams has to come back relying on fitness and hustle? check

    left back puts in a questionable performance? check?

    people screaming for the coaches head? um…..

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  16. Joe is not spectacular but is very good. If on the USA roster probably places between 20 to 30 another Bedoya.
    If on Mexico’s roster he places 30 to 40, not likely to play first team soon. However he has a chance at making both countries Olympic teams. His youth coach says Joe
    will play with whoever brings him in first.

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  17. Where did u hear this news, espndeportes??, this is insane. Who cares, go play with Mex, we will be better again in a while and he´ll come back begging for a chance.

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  18. “Construct” and “Puerile Substitution”?! Really? In a casual soccer comments thread? Way to come off better-than-thou. In reality, your reply was simply an overreaction to Joe B.’s post. No one’s denying the kid’s difficult decision.

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  19. The old “I agree, if you mean what I mean” construct, where a puerile substitution supposedly becomes wit. It’s so easy to use even Kevin_amold can do it.

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  20. I did read your post and it was stupid. How can a 21 year old kid born to central American parents and who grew up in the US and Mexico be expected to simply leap at the US without any thought? Anyone with parents from other countries is likely to be “naturally conflicted,” but that shouldn’t mean we exclude them on that basis. You know, little things like understanding it is a young kid with a heterogeneous identity would be better then calling for some test of purity. Otherwise, we shouldn’t call in any players who aren’t completely ‘Merican, because they could harbor mixed feelings; they could even like other countries! People, especially young people, in my experience, makes mistakes, like, for instance, accepting a call up for Mexico and then realizing they would like to play for the US, but things like that are evidently too subtle for your magisterial view.

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  21. Guys he is a goner. He was interviewed by ESPN Deportes guys and his decision has been made. Wish him luck. He is not hte first and won’t be the last in choosing Mexico over US or vice-versa. It will happen and YOU ALL in either side have to respect their decisions. The messed up part is Mexico is already ahead in their U-22 development. We don’t even have a coach?!?!

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  22. We can’t afford to lose forwards like Corona. Mexico can. The only advantage for US? Mexico’s attacking depth at Corona’s position. Here’s hoping.

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  23. Correct, we should incorporate all of the ethnic groups from Hispanics,blacks,whites, and the asians everyone should be able to play, but they must also contribute something to the team.

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  24. “Perhaps if Mexican Americans were made to feel more welcomed in the U.S. (rather than being scapegoated for many social and economic problems not of their making)” WTF does this have to do with soccer?

    I for the life of me cannot understand how racism is excepted by you all in the name of US Soccer it disgusting, you do not undo wrongs by discriminating against others. Players should be chosen by their merits and that’s it not because of their heritage (which no one has control over)But because of how they play. At the rate we are going we are gonna only pick players based on the census report. I personally don’t care what kind of hyphenated american anyone is I want players who can play who can be apart of the core team and who will fight for the shirt. So whether that’s a rich white kid from New York or a poor Hispanic kid from Texas if you can play you deserve a shot. But to sit here and say we should only start looking at one set of players instead of another because of their racial background is something that should not be tolerated.

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  25. This is All about Money not Allegiences, the Mexican Fed will flush Money at Corona. and potential endorsements the US cant compete at that level. Untill the US has econminc Power of the Mexican team in this country then youll see the tide turn.

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  26. people calm down i am sorry to say but we have so many other good young players playing in Mexico and in Europe so there is no reason to start freaking out. besides both Ponce and Corona are not lost forever. They were just called to the youth teams so calm down and stop praying for bob to return because it seems like he will be eating cuscus for the next few years to come.

    Beside Kinsmann is doing a good job by just watching the game against Mexico. You can tell that our youth will improve way more then they would ever improved under Bob.

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