BY ADAM SERRANO
It appears that Miguel Ponce has chosen to join the Mexican national team, spurning the country of his birth in the process.
The left back for Chivas de Guadalajara was chosen for Mexico's preliminary squad for the Copa America.
Ponce has been a fixture for Chivas de Guadalajara backline since last season. Ponce's decision to join Mexico's squad is in line with Guadalajara's strict policy that states members of their team could only represent El Tri. Ponce was born in Sacramento, California, but stated last year in an interview with MLSsoccer.com that he identified more with the Mexican national team.
“I was born in America, but in my case my family is Mexican so I’m more Mexican than American,” said Ponce. “I’m proud to play for a team that I love, but if Mexico or the US call me and I need to play for a [national] team, then I will have to see what I can do. I just need to wait and see.”
The Mexico squad for the Copa America will be trimmed on June 27th. The South American tournament runs from July 1st to July 24th.
And the ugly side of soccer rears its head.
Protip: don’t call someone ignorant in the same post you use the phrase “typical Mexican.”
What?
Eh, not really.
Yeah. Because nobody did it with Subotic or Rossi? They aren’t Mexican. Another ridiculous claim.
Chandler and Jones are different cases. Their parents served in the military. They were born on American bases by NATO standards that makes them born on American soil. Your argument pertaining to these 2 is ignorant. I’m not yelling traitor at Ponce, just typical Mexican wanting the dream that is the United States. He can play for whoever he wants but he obviously feels the US is better than Mexico.
Exactly they are just doing this because he is of mexican decent. You think colombians are crying because Juan agudelo is playing for the USA. So why cry for ponce.
I’m ok with players born in other countries that grow up here and play through US soccer. But I don’t like people that don’t speak a word of english but choose the usmnt because they can’t make it in their home country
Andy Najar was born in Honduras, isn’t a US citizen yet, and doesn’t speak English. Big difference.
I think Honduras should in the consideration as well, since he is their national hero. But, honestly, it’s not like we have a slew of stellar left backs on the USMNT.
To all the people playing the “how can he call himself Mexican if he was born here?” argument:
Y’all DO know that Jermaine Jones is from, and grew up in, Germany? Same with Timmy Chandler. And Stuart Holden was born in Scotland. And wonderboy Juan Agudelo was born in Colombia.
Kind of funny how people yell TRAITOR and act as if their American identity has been damaged when an American-born player decides to play another country, but no one seems to mind when it’s the other way around.
This kind of thing happens all the time in international football. You win some, you lose some. If that offends you, find a new hobby.
I see your point, but doesn’t Ponce already live and play in Mexico?
“Calling people xenophobic is not for soccer blogs either.”
Sure it is, if they’re being xenophobic.
Thank you.
I doubt that Bradley would’ve picked him anyway. And I used to be a Double B fan— (sigh…)
Woah only Mexican do that sure of that? What about the polish that came to the USA vs Poland game? The hondurians that came to play the USA?Or salvadorians when is USA vs salvador?. The argentines during the USA vs Argentina?. Yeah you seem to forgot idiot
Because Mexico can’t because of concacaf rules.
Woah woah why are people critizing him? When Andy najar decided to play for Honduras no one said nothing and dindnt say nothing. Why with him?
that private school education is really paying off there, Anamika Veeramani,
It’s a full side tournament, CONCACAF or FMF just won’t send a full side.
lot*
A lost of brain washed people here, thank God I went to private school.
As an immigrant to the US I consider myself American first, my family chose to come here and to become US citizens. I can’t really understand people who have the opposite mentality. BUT: this is not one of those cases as Ponce grew up in Mexico. So I will say good luck to him, something I would never say to Rossi, even though as a USMNT fan I despise the Mexican national team. Hope he has all the success in the world, just never against us.
I’m from Latin decent, so I understand what you are talking about Rich. I do hated when people root for the team that their parents were born in, then two weeks later their like, New York is my shiznet or Chi-Town all day baby! On their facebook. I’m like, aren’t you Columbian or hard core Mexican?? I dont get it? You want Donovan to break his face, yet you represent Chi-Town to the fullest a week later..No jodan gente! Lets be real folks, you can act all foreignish with your life, but the fact is, you were born on U. S soil, why hate your own nationality? 🙁
Ponce’s situation I completely understand, he was raised in Mexico… not 100% Chicano by these standards. So good for him. I hope he gets PWND by us if he ever faces us.
I had a doctor ask me what my heritage was once, so I went on a list of my grandparents and great-grandparents, where their families are from, and people I was rumored to be related to. I ended up with being part English, French, German, Scottish, Dutch, Irish and American-Indian.
Her response was, “Ah, so you’re American.”
no, we can just give bornstein to israel.
I’m with you Rich. We have to remember our Forefathers came here to better ourselves not to do “hit and runs.” Were American, even if we have to be categorized and slapped with a Mexican tag. Don’t get me wrong I’m proud of my heritage, but America has given me the chances no other place could. So when the USMNT faces Mexico its no competition who I’m rooting for. But if Ponce was born here and raised in Mexico then I see no issues with him choosing Mexico. He’s identified himself more Mexican than American.
Calling people xenophobic is not for soccer blogs either. The man has an opinion, one that I respect, and agree with more or less.
As for this guy, he is totally within his rights to choose Mexico. And I am totally within mine to dislike him for that decision.
People think when players like ________ ____ choose Italy, not only do we have to accept his decision, but wish him well and rejoice when they see success. Sorry chaps, if a player has a choice and he chooses another country, he, and everyone else, can accept that I’m pissed and I will now boo him worse than had he been a native born italian, mexican, whatever.
Does that make me a “xenophobic nativist?” Maybe, but it UNDOUBTEDLY makes me a USMNT fan that hurts when players that qualify for us choose another country than the one I love and support.
Only if they give us his left foot and keep Bornstein also. Otherwise valid points.
Since Scotland let us keep Holden, Germany allowed us to hang onto Jones, and Columbia was kind enough to not fly up here and kidnap Agudelo, I think the least we can do is let Mexico keep Ponce.
Rich, you are right that some school systems adopt curriculums that encourage Balkanization. It is worse in some areas than others. I recently moved to a new area of the country, and people are constantly asking me my nationality.
“I’m American.”
No, before that.
“Oh, you mean like my grandparents and greatgrandparents?”
Yeah.
“American.”
They keep wanting to hear Irish, or Italian, or German or some nonsense like that.
Everyone has an opinion. Xenophobic nativist opinions do not belong on soccer blogs. So Timmy Chandler should be ashamed to call himself an American? We cannot control where our parents will be at when we are born and we have the right to identify with the country our hearts steers us to.
If you feel so American you should stop calling yourself Mexican-American. You can be both Mexican and American but not Mexican-American. I doubt you have both nationalities so you are only American.
Is that positively correct?
1. It’s a competition in another region
2. Isn’t it still technically a youth squad, since it’s the u-23’s?
+1 …ha…
Yes but he implied that Ponce was not contacted by the US. My use of “spurned” was perhaps a poor choice though. Anyway, I agree that he’s not spurning the US.
Soooo, Ponce was born to Mexican parents in Sac but moved with his family to Mexico as a toddler and has lived there ever since. But you’re right, if only the preschools had taught him better he’d have that American pride.
palin 2012!
As a Mexican-American born in the US It always makes me sick to hear people born and raised here call themselves Mexican and wave the Mexican flag. If Mexico is so great and this place is so bad why aren’t they moving there?
I met a girl at a party after I came back from the USA/Mexico WCQ in Mexico and when I told her the score she said “oh that is good” and I said why and she said that she is Mexican. I said you don’t sound like your are Mexican and she said that one of her grandmothers is Mexican. For that reason she was glad the US lost. How stupid can you get?
I think the schools are over pushing that everybody is anything but American. To me being proud of your race/roots is non incompatible with being proud to be an American.
Yes.
The question was whether he spurned the US, though…
If he appears in a match he is cap tied to Mexico forever isn’t he? Copa America matches are official?
We don’t know that the US has spurned him. For all we know, both the US and Mexico have been courting him and he made his decision based on what he thought was best for him and his career.
lol I think he is repping Mexico man.
Good luck: I said the same thing a short while ago and my post was deleted.
How is he spurning the US? The US has shown no interest and he wants to start his international career. What’s the problem?
its unfortunate since I’m sure his experience on the higher level would get him a bigger contract than Chivas, but I do get it. If he feels that way, and wants to be a Chivas lifer, its a no brainer. Bueno suerte mi amigo
reppin SACRAMENTO real nice Ponce!!!!!!!!! have fun playing with Mexico amigo
Here’s to hoping he has a horrible international career!
As much as we NEED a left back, and I HATE losing players to Mexico, I respect a guy for playing for the team that he identifies with. We’ve been screwed over by a few of them but hey. That’s football. If he feels Mexican then I don’t want him wearing red, white and blue anyway.
I think the real story here is that he knows his Chivas contract will be ripped to shreds if he picks the United States.