Monterrey midfielder Jonathan Gonzalez believes dual nationals in demand from both the Mexico and United States national teams must go with their heart.
Gonzalez switched from the United States national team to Mexico last January and the issue came up again recently when current Mexico Under-17 international Efrain Alvarez suggested that he isn’t closing the door on the United States.
“You have to say go with your heart to be honest,” Jonathan Gonzalez told ESPN FC over the phone. “I know it’s not an easy decision. Whatever you do make sure it’s for the best for you.”
Gonzalez has earned two caps so far with Mexico and played for the Olympic-generation squad at the Toulon Tournament this past summer.
The midfielder missed out as Mexico lost 1-0 last month to the United States due to a minor injury, but saw enough to believe that both sides of the rivalry can be confident moving forward.
“I was really happy to be honest to see my old teammates and my new teammates,” said Gonzalez. “The future is very bright for both national teams.”
The Santa Rosa, California native is hoping to be called into Mexico’s squad for upcoming games against Costa Rica (Oct. 11) and Chile (Oct. 16) and brushes off suggestions that it has been difficult to deal with all the media attention and messages — not all positive — now that he is with El Tri.
“Us footballers are exposed to people talking good and bad about us,” said Gonzalez. “It’s something we have to keep to ourselves and know that every time we go onto the field we have to prove them wrong.”
Gonzalez may not be the only member of his family that will have to navigate tricky cross-border club and national team situations. His 15-year-old brother Adrian made headlines this past weekend after he caught the eyes of scouts in the Allstate Sueno Alianza tournament in Los Angeles. It was the same tournament in which Gonzalez shone in 2013 and subsequently took up an offer to move to Monterrey when he was 14, after rejecting Chivas, Club Tijuana, Morelia and other Liga MX clubs.
Adrian received nine invitations from Liga MX clubs after the Alianza trial, including one from Monterrey, and will have to decide his next step. The issue of Mexico-U.S. dual national minors moving from the United States to Mexico is a complicated one, with Mexican clubs often unable to and uneasy about signing them due to FIFA rules of the transfer of minors.
“I think they have all the right to choose where they want to play,” opined Gonzalez. “It’s up to them.”
The older Gonzalez is awaiting his latest Mexican national team call-up, while the younger one has a big decision to make, with San Jose Earthquakes and LAFC also showing interest.
Showing interest: http://alianzadefutbol.com/en/united-states-the-center-of-talent-for-liga-mx-and-mls-teams/