Edgar Castillo will join the U.S. men's national team for the first time when he meets up with the squad for its upcoming friendlies against fellow World Cup participants Slovakia and Denmark. Castillo revealed that he has been called up for the U.S. friendlies in post-game interviews with Mexican media on Saturday evening. Sources confirmed the call-up to SBI on Sunday evening.
A native of New Mexico, Castillo will have his first chance to play for the United States since a change in FIFA rules allowed him to switch national team affiliations after having already appeared in friendly matches for the Mexican national team. Under the old FIFA rule, players could not make the switch after turning 21, but the new rule allows players of any age to make the switch as long as they met the necessary guidelines for eligibility.
A left back who is also capable of playing on the left wing, Castillo has enjoyed a strong season with Tigres since joining the club on loan from Club America. He has settled in as a quality starter on a side that won the 2009 SuperLiga title this past summer.
The U.S. team will face Slovakia on Nov. 14 before playing Denmark on Nov. 18. The full squad for the upcoming friendlies has yet to be finalized, but should be released by the end of this week.
What do you think of this development? Excited about the possibility of seeing Castillo make his USA debut? Think he can challenge Jonathan Bornstein for the starting job?
Share your thoughts below.
Bornstein is an Achilles heel at left back. Castillo is a much better option.
Just because I say??LOL … no buddy, anyone with soccer intelligence knows this! 🙂
You said: The last time I checked the USMNT doesn’t have any MLS or Mexican League teams on it’s schedule????WTF???LOL
Borns plays for chivas, and Castillo plays for Tigres, enought said!
As of now and forever ever ever ever, Castillo is the better player!:) Now if your argument was Spector or Dolo both who can switch back from LB to RB without major problems since both play in the top leagues in th world, than the argument would be different. But you are comparing Borns to Castillo!LOL Your funny like most MLS fans!LOL
Hush,
Just because you say the Mexican League is better than the MLS, that doesn’t mean Castillo will play better for the US than Bornstein does.
The last time I checked the USMNT doesn’t have any MLS or Mexican League teams on it’s schedule.
Castillo and Bornstein are going to be judged against a completly different set of players. And Bornstein has already played well for the US and understands the coach and the system while Castillo hasn’t even been in camp. Maybe Castilo is the second coming of Ashley Cole but it’s very premature to assume Castillo will be an upgrade from Bornstein.
Castillo is technically more gifted and has played against superior competition for several years including being an integral part of a Santos Laguna team that won the Mexican championship a couple of years ago.
I considered Bornstein to be substitute material.
I’ve been thinking about that… MLS is small-fish in the soccer world. But it is bizarre to see Leo Gonzalez not called up for Costa Rica in their series-to-go to WC10! They bring up 3 U-23s on D instead??? Leo is an amazing LB. But not even called? Keep in mind, this would be in direct conflict with Sounders playoffs…
Your “fantasy” includes Onyewu not being in the lineup?
Seriously people, you think Bornstein is a better player at LB than Castillo?LOL Castillo didn’t have a a good game on Saturday but he has had more great games than poor games this season… more than what I can say about Borns!… there were moments where Castillo’s techinical skills got him and his team out of trouble, something I can’t say about Borstein. In important games that I’ve watched Bornstein in, he loses 60% of the ball when coming down field, that crap bothers me everytime… Please, before anyone here says Borstein is a better player than Castillo, check the stats and the league he plays in. Castillo plays in the best league in the Americas with more tecnhical and creative players, where as Bornstein plays in the MLS, enought said.
yes, bring in aguirre from mexico too (for papa bradley), switch the green in the mexican flag to blue and fly it above RFK, and no doubt we’ll be getting 100k per national team game also. viva the mexican-american team!
i dont like that he’ll be fighting with fellow mexican-heritage teammate, johnny bornstein for the same position. We need to have as many mexicans on the field when we play mexico. Trust me, whether its thumb wrestling or checkers, whenever a fellow better-spanish-speaking mexican enters the fray something goes through me that makes me want to destroy him.Its the same for those of mexican heritage. Put Bocanegra, Castillo, Torrest, and Bornstein and Ching (honorary mexican) on the field against mexico and we will win 5-0.
haha,
realistic fantasy? Oxymoron much?
In all seriousness, That seems like a smart lineup that could happen by 2010. However, I think Feilhaber will have improved and will take the spot you have Torres in. Mainly because I think Feilhaber is a more skilled player and the only reason he’s not starting is because he hasn’t QUITE recovered from the injury he had. He can’t dictate the pace and play of the game because it’s a bit too quick for him. Once it’s late in the game and the other team is tired and it’s slowed down a bit he can speed things up or slow things down which is why his performances off the bench are btter than his starting XI performances.
I understand your comment but dempsey has only given us 15 magic minutes a game and having someone more talented up front with passing skills will be better for the team. Adu makes altidore better and dempsey should sit and come off the bench
Adu? this is a joke right? Really you want to put in a short bench player that has never played significant minutes over a 6’1″ aerial striker playing top form in England?