Portland Timbers homegrown defender Marco Farfan is eyeing a switch from the United States to his family homeland Mexico after receiving his Mexican Passport, according to a report from FOX Deportes.
As a dual-national, Farfan is eligible to represent both the United States and Mexico at the international level.
"I've been told that Marco Farfan from the Portland Timbers, has received his Mexican Passport and is interested in switching to the Mexican Federation. 🇺🇸 ⚽️ 🇲🇽
— Mariano Trujillo #SuckItUp #SinLlorar (@marianot19) August 27, 2018
Farfan has appeared in 16 MLS matches for the Timbers since becoming the youngest signing in club history after signing a homegrown deal in 2016. Since signing with the Timbers, he has been called into U.S. youth camps, most recently a U-19 camp in Europe.
The now 19-year-old Mexican-American told American Soccer Now, “I know what things are like with the youth national teams right now,” and added, “If the opportunity comes right now with Mexico for the youth national teams, I’d probably take it to see what it’s like and see the differences between the U.S. and Mexico.”
This wouldn’t be the first time one of the countries young prospects were to make a switch from the U.S. to Mexico. Jonathan Gonzalez, most recently made the switch from the stars and stripes to El Tri.
Whatever. If he feels Mexico deserves his loyalty more than the US, that’s who he should play for. Simple as that. I want NT players that feel the US in their blood. If he doesn’t feel it, I don’t want him.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
A bit overly ambitious of Farfan to assume the Mexico national team will help develope him? He has regressed this year with the Timbers and had every opportunity to take over the leftback position. The Tinbers have essentially played a right footed player at the left back position and traded a true left footed back in Vytas.
A couple of things to consider; Farfan was developing under Porter and regardless what anyone thinks Porter has the most pros playing out of his Akron system, Gio, has a mind set of “the players” he wants and Farfan not fitting his mold, Farfan needs to check his ego and leave the “potential” label behind him and go to work as a professional, and finally when you try and dictate your options through horizontal moves you tend to go down rather then up.