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Report: Jesse Gonzalez to join USMNT January camp

Porvin/USA Today Sports
Photo by Anne-Marie Sorvin/USA TODAY Sports

A dual Mexican-American international goalkeeper is apparently going to switch sides come January.

According to Goal USA, FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez will join the U.S. Men’s National Team during its annual January camp.

Gonzalez, 20, most recently played for Mexico’s Under-20 team during the U-20 World Cup. He started two of the team’s three games. He will not be able to play for the U.S. until he files an official one-time switch with FIFA.

The 6-foot-4 netminder soared onto the scene towards the end of the MLS regular season, starting in the club’s final 11 matches while also playing in all four FC Dallas playoff games.

U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann previously stated that next month’s camp will feature regular senior team members as well as U.S. U-23 players in order to prepare each level for important 2016 contests. The U.S. will play Iceland on Jan. 31 and Canada on Feb. 5.

What do you think of this development? See Gonzalez getting a start in either game?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. This is off subject, but it is amazing to me that Charlie Davies has not gotten a second look at the US camp. We talk about who deserves to wear the red white and blue. Get him in camp. In the media there a conversation about who has earned to wear the shirt. Jurgen let the guy wear it that has battled back and is american. It will lift the team because it will remind them the country they play for.

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    • It really depends on your goal. If you are building for the future, then you do not call up a 29 yr forward who is not established. If you want a here and now, then you see what can do.

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    • I see Charlie a lot and he’s as good as any we have. Not a starter but more useful off the bench than say a Wondo. His time should have been 2-3 years ago. Yes he has lost a step since his accident but is still very fast and he still works very very hard on offense and defense. I’m fairly convinced he’s been blackballed though… kind of like Benny, and will never be called again

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  2. J. Gonzalez is a rotating GK for Mexico’s U20 team. I’m sure he knows there is lots of competition with the USA side as well, but being a possible USA GK does improve his chances to one day get a lucrative European contract more than if he remains with Mexico.

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    • Reason being? Though he should have a better chance of showing himself for the US since he’s got Raul Gudiño ahead of him in Mexico. Gudiño is 19, starts for and captains Porto’s B team (the team that is one of the best talent development squads in Europe), is third keeper for Porto’s starting lineup and is pretty much the understudy of legendary keeper Iker Casillas. Sounds like trying out for the US is a safe bet.

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      • The US keepers’ pool is much stronger. We turn out much higher quality keepers than Mexico does.

        It’s actually going to be telling if Jesse decides to compete against a much higher quality keeper pool in the US vs. walking into a much weaker keeper pool in Mexico. If Jesse does that, he will be a much better keeper regardless of whether or not he actually makes it onto the field.

        Guys like Howard and Guzan are light years ahead of anything that has ever come out of Mexico and learning the ropes from pros like that would be beneficial to Jesse.

  3. Was he born on this planet? If so, he is just as American as anyone else. As an eligible dual citizen, he deserves priority over mere mono citizens because that is twice as much citizenship. Double!

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  4. The bonus for him is he is “the guy” in big D. So he will get all the starts he can handle on a good team.
    Physically he needs to get much stronger for a GK. At 20 he also needs to get much more assertive running his backline.
    Can he be the future USMNT goalie? A lot of competitions at the position which is a good thing. Although with all the competition no one has stepped up to be the next generation GK for the national team.

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    • There truly is a lot of competition at the Goal Keeper position with the likes of Horvath, Steffen, Cropper, Horton, Hamid, Johnson, & Yarbrough all still in their early to mid 20’s. Considering Keepers usually don’t hit their stride until their late 20’s or early 30’s, there are still questions as to who will become the next generation USMNT top keeper.
      If Gonzalez decides to join the ranks….the US will have another great prospect to fill the shoes of Howard & Guzan when they decide to retire from international competition.

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      • Not to bemoan development especially considering the strength of US development is in goalies none of the guys you mentioned have made the jump to top club or become the best in there leagues? I thought Hamid and especially Johnson were going to take the next step. All the guys you mentioned are on the clock tic toc!

      • I think Hamid is at that level. He is in the argument for the best goalkeeper in the league and just turned 25. He was named MLS goalkeeper of the year (2014) On top of that, I don’t seem him staying in the MLS past this season. Too much interest.

        Side note, I am all for players leaving, if they play regularly. Don’t leave just to leave (and ride pine) unless you are going for a HUGE salary bump. If you are a regular player, playing in EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Eredivisie, Primeira Liga, Championship or Liga MX are all higher levels of play.

  5. Gives another great option for the USA U23 team. It’ll be interesting to see who wins the battle between Horvath, Cropper, and now Gonzalez.

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    • He is in no way the type of player Wambach was describing. She was talking about what some call passport Americans. He clearly is not that

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  6. I believe that the opportunity to play for either country will only encourage more kids to play. For every player that leaves to play in Mexico, it opens the opportunity for another players to take a spot on the first team.

    With Gill, Omar, Juni, leaving for Mexico, this has created an opportunity for another player to step in and make a name for himself. I think this is a positive sign for MLS. Mexican teams taking MLS seriously.

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  7. He’s American. He was born in North Carolina and grew up in Texas. It’s good that we are not loosing young Ameicans like Alvarado, Jesse Gonzalez, Corona, Luis Gill etc. to Mexico.

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