LA Galaxy's Efrain Alvarez: 'I could still play for the U.S.' or stay with Mexico

ByESPN ESPN logo
Monday, July 30, 2018

LA Galaxy prospect Efrain Alvarez says he could still decide to play for the United States despite his switch to Mexico's youth system.

Alvarez, who only turned 16 last month, was called up to Mexico's under-17 team this summer, buthe told MLSsoccer.com that his senior international future is still to be determined.

"I'm not closing the door on anyone," he said ahead of Tuesday'sMLS Homegrown Game. "I could still play for the U.S. or I could keep playing for Mexico. But I'm with Mexico right now and that's my focus."

Alvarez played for the U.S. under-15s in 2015, but chose to play for Mexico's youth teams after he was dropped from a U.S. camp a year later, his coach told Soccer America in May.

"Something happened with the U.S., and then Mexico came knocking on my door, and I tried it and I liked it there," Alvarez said.

Alvarez, who was born and raised in California, has already made a big impression playing with the Galaxy's reserves in the second-tier USL, scoring eight goals in as many games this season.

He will be part of the MLSHomegrown team that will take on the under-20s of Mexican club Tigres on Tuesday as a lead-in to Wednesday's MLS All-Star Game.

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