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Report: Edgar Castillo “would play for the United States”

Edgar Castillo (ISIphotos.com)

                                                  Photo by ISIphotos.com

Edgar Castillo has apparently changed his mind.

Two years after saying he wouldn't play for the United States even if called, the American-born defender is open to the idea of playing for the U.S. national team despite having already appeared for the Mexican national team.

In an interview with USSoccerplayers.com, Castillo stated that he "would play" for the U.S. national team and ready to use the new FIFA rule that allows players to switch national teams at any age as long as they haven't played in official competitions.

We touched on this possibility two weeks ago, laying out the details of Castillo's status and the potential for him to change his mind. As a speedy and skillful left back, Castillo could provide some much-needed depth to one of the weaker positions in the U.S. national team pool.

What do you think of this development? Are you open to having him join the U.S. national team? Think he is just an opportunist who doesn't care about the U.S. national team? Think he can get some playing time for the U.S. team? Happy to see a trend of players choosing the United States over other countries?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I have a feeling he’s using this rule as leverage to get playing time for Mexico. Now is hardly the time for Mexico to lose young players, and their defense is a sieve right now.

    Now if this isn’t all just talk, and he actually does switch allegiances, then the more the merrier. A little more competition never hurt anybody.

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  2. As far as any future with the U.S., Castillo said that would never happen. “Even if they call, I’m not going to come,” he said. “I already told them that I’m staying with Mexico.”

    Forget him. We need players with the heart and determination to play for the USA like a Navy SEAL. This isn’t the commitment we’re looking for.

    Or, we can cap him and dump him.

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  3. Since the kid spent all of his life here in the U.S. and did the pledge in his classes as so many of us do, I think he should be given a shot. He is American and his only fault was to accept a call up from the first Nation that actually wanted him and didn’t criticize his stature. Rossi was called constantly and never accepted so there is a difference. I say call him in let the mexican American contingent play in AZTECA since they are use to it and loets kick some MOJO ASS! VIVA USA!!!!!

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  4. Hey guys, we need to give Castillo a shot, he can be a really good player and we don´t have to many options at LB, he can be a very good sub.

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  5. May have been mentioned already— Take into account the -possibilty- his family may have been a factor in his initial decision. Young kid goes to Mexico to make them proud- realizes that its not really his dream..(?)

    I swear I’m not his publicist !!! serious!

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  6. I’m of German descent and cheered on the German national team like a madman in EURO. But first and foremost I’m an American. I’ll take 1 cap in the 93rd minute for USA over 100 German caps anyday because this is my country. Changing national teams is not like changing club teams, it’s something you feel in your heart from the time you first kick a ball. Obviously the USMNT was not in his heart and Mexico was. Now, since he can’t get a spot for Mexico and since the US is looking like a team that can compete with the best in the world, he wants in.

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  7. Don’t say no, we could mos’ def’ use more depth at Left Back or Left Wing… I like Carlos Boca at LB but who else is worst a damn who is Left footed? Johnny B (NO) Beasley (Hell No). PLUS we’d take someone away from Mexico. It’s not like we need to play him often as long as he doesn’t play for Mexico than good.

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  8. I’m just curious of the name on the back of his jersey. Would it be…

    “Traidor”

    “Ancle a BebĂ©”

    “El sueño de Napolitano”

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  9. I wouldn’t turn him down just because he played for Mexico. We could use some depth at left back. Based on previous reports, it sounded like he would have gone with the US if both had called at the same time.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/sports/soccer/23soccer.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&sq=Edgar%20Castillo&st=cse&scp=1

    I’m sure he’s torn. I have no real ties to Mexico, but grew up in Texas watching El Tri on the spanish networks. I still root for Mexico if they’re not playing us. I can’t imagine how hard a decision it must have been for him to make last year, now they changed the rules on him and he has to make the decision all over again.

    I’d question Jones’ motives more, except that I don’t think it’s a question. We’re happy to have someone of his caliber and Germany doesn’t need him. It’s not about national identity.

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  10. I think he should get a shot. If he can win a spot, great for the US and great for Castillo. If he doesn’t win a spot, what is the downside? I hope that this continues to turn into a wave of Hispanic Americans getting into the US Soccer system. It is a huge talent pool and is underrepresented in the US team.

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  11. you people are hating on him for no reason imo, it is clear from sveral articles I read that he did indeed want to play for the US. HOWEVER, he was told he was too small for the youth team, and then never got a call up to the Nats. SO of coruse he is going to get frustrated and speak out. So your going to hold it against a 20 year old kid for speaking his mind? Not fair. And more to the point, the USSF only tried to go after him once Mexico approached him. This is whole issue is NOT the fault of Castillo, rather it is a general failure in the USSF. I understand everyones patriotism as I feel it too, but please temper it with some rationality.

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  12. Thanks to those of you who have given me more info in order to process my take.

    Now that I understand that the US dropped the ball on this one, I have swung in my opinion.

    I was against it but now, I say

    since he says that he wants to come, I welcome him and say let him earn his spot.

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  13. I don’t know. I am not a fan of having someone who wore that shirt wear ours, but I understand the sentiment of him being a 20 year old kid and saying something he ended up regretting later.

    A bigger question is why he can’t get on the field for Mexico, even in the Gold Cup.

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  14. Quote for the Castillo last year:

    “It would have been nice — to be from the U.S. and play for the U.S.,” “I was wondering what the U.S. was thinking, why they were not calling me.”

    He said he wanted to play for the US but they never called. It’s a big problem for us, we are not developing the latino, and possibly other minority, talent in this country. These guys have to go to Mexico to get the opportunity to play…

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  15. Wow,
    I think you guys are being way to hard on the kid. I mean, did the US ever pursue this kid? It’s not like he ever played for a US youth team, like Subotic or was invited to them like Rossi.

    And for those calling him a bandwagon player, your forgetting that the fifa rule just changed (hasn’t even changed yet, really). So he did not have the opportunity to switch before.

    He’s a young left footed player with a lot of talent. He might not be perfectly polished yet, but he’s got a lot of potential. I say WELCOME TO THE USMNT!!!!

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  16. One other thing………… I would like a reporter to ask Edgar’s opinion for why he isn’t on Mexico’s B team for the Gold Cup.

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  17. Castillo certainly has enough talent to be in the conversation for the USA were it not for the USA-Mex conflict. Hard to imagine him not on our Gold Cup team trying to earn his way to the A team bench.

    I think he should be given a chance, but I also think he will be held to a higher standard. Because the USA team can not succeed against top teams on pure talent. We need players who are willing to bleed for the shirt and we also need complete cohesion among the players.

    IMO, we should bring him in, and see what happens. But I wouldn’t let him anywhere near Azteca. If he’s accepted and shows his commitment then fine. And if not, then he can fade into a Jessie Marschesque role in national team history.

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  18. If he can’t even make the Mexican squad’s Gold Cup roster, how good is he?

    I don’t know much about him, besides he shunned the US for our biggest rival, Mexico.

    I love my national team too much to forgive him, I say give another youngster who loves his country a chance.

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  19. One thing is for certain, USA needs no more wasted roster spots with Beaslay and SK. Beasley gives me nightmares. Horrible, horrible nightmares.

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  20. He was mad at the US for never calling him in. He wanted to play for us, but his father got angry and set up the mexico thing.

    He’s an up and coming young LB who would fit perfectly with the US system. I say go for it.

    Besides, we can just take from Mexico, trhats always a plus.

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  21. primoone, stop the nonsense about Bradley being biased against latinos. that’s a lazy comment
    And siff, Jermaine Jones was most definitely born in Germany

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  22. Bring him in. Give him one meaningful cap as a sub in the 90th minute. Then never call him again.

    It’ll be the ol’ “I will smash your face into a car windshield, and then take your mother, Dorothy Mantooth, out for a nice seafood dinner and never call her again” trick!

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  23. I’m fairly certain that Jermaine Jones was born in the US and moved with his mother to Germany as a toddler, so you’re incorrect. That said, I agree with your premise.

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  24. People – you guys are forgetting the fact that Mexico called him first. He was never in the US radar until Mexico picked him up. So, I understand if he was pissed then and chose Mexico.

    Now that he wants to come back, let him come.
    Who’s our next option at LB after Bocanegra? Bornstein?!? He’s better than Bornstein.

    What’s interesting is that he said he talked to Orozco regarding this. So far, Orozco has successfully recruited 2 Mexican Americans in Torres and Castillo (if US indeed calls him). It’d be ironic if Bob calls those 2, but not Orozco.

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  25. ^^ Richard, thanks for the info! that’s awesome to hear. he ain’t no bandwagon-er! he’s the real deal. L.A. too! i like that it will force the USSF to check out the domestic Latino market, especially within California. you know Mexico’s got a hawkish eye on it!

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  26. A lot of misinformation out there. Castillo wanted to play for the US but the MNT never came calling until AFTER the Mexican team took an interest in him. Castillo’s dad was frustrated and set up the call with Mexico as a result: (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/sports/soccer/23soccer.html)

    This is VERY different from Giuseppe Rossi, who always made it clear he wanted to play for Italy. The US went after him much more aggressively than they ever did with Castillo. Again – Rossi, always said he was going to play for Italy; Castillo, wanted to play for the US but never got the chance until after our biggest rival offered him a spot.

    The USSF has acknowledged that it made a mistake with Castillo (read the article). This is the exact opposite of Rossi.

    More importantly, he plays a position where we are thin. He would be, at worst, the backup to Cherondolo. Let’s put it this way – he’s an enormous improvement over having to call up Bornstein for that role.

    This one is a no-brainer.

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  27. This kid needs to get his act together!!! Let’s get Vidal in first before this guy if that’s the case. This kid’s attitude just plainly stinks!!!

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  28. Edgar Castillo is very very similar to Bornstien. The only difference is that Castillo can play.

    stop the belly-aching and call this fool up. I would hate to see him playing Left back in 2014 for Mexico. Besides, he sees regular minutes in La Primera. Well, Crapp…I guess thats not saying much considering torres is better than Benny, sasha and DMB and he cant get any love from Boob. I guess its true about him being biased against latino players.

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  29. Bandwagon player. He wasn’t excited about playing for the US before. I’m not sure I want someone doubting their place in a national team representing our country.

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  30. I wish us having finished 2nd at the Confederations Cup wasn’t the reason for the change. He should have always wanted to play for the USA becaue he is an AMERICAN.

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  31. japan: Now I didn’t compare him to Angelina Jolie. That was mere exaggeration to make a point. Substitute any actress you like for more accuracy.

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  32. I agree with the current that if we embrace Jones, we should accept Castillo as well. One, it is never cut and dry for dual country nationals and two we should encourage the trend of encouraging Mexican Americans to play for and support the USA.

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  33. I keep hearing that the U.S. youth system didn’t want this guy because he was “too small.” WTF??!? This is exactly how we end up with specimens like Eddie Johnson (aka “Grown Ass Man”). How tall is Maradona anyway? Youth coaches need to recognize skill and touch regardless of the external package. If a kid can play, then he can play. [end of rant]

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  34. If he ends up like Martin Vasquez then I’ll take him. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Vasquez

    I would never play him in Mexico though, that would be crazy. A defender who’s played for the other team in Azteca…not a good recipe.

    I feel very torn on the subject. We all make mistakes and if he wants to play for the country he was born in then he has a right to do so.

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  35. Arcticrules, no, if he had played in youth games for Mexico and then switched I suspect many people would not have a problem with it. Many of us have said that we’re begrudgingly open to him wearing the Red, White, and Blue in the interest of depth and our success. Many people seem to be in agreement, though, that switching to another country after playing in a full international game (not at youth level) is a step a bit too far

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