Post by epjr on Sept 3, 2009 17:40:28 GMT -6
PROVO, Utah (AP) - El Salvador midfielder Arturo Alvarez will know his opponents well in Saturday's World Cup qualifier against the United States.
Many of them were teammates with Alvarez on U.S. youth teams. Born and raised in Houston, Alvarez is an American who switched his football citizenship when El Salvador - his parents' homeland - invited him to join the national team.
Alvarez in action for the San Jose Earthquakes. (Jeff Zelevansky / Getty Images)
Although he had played for U.S. Under-20s, an invitation to the U.S. senior team did not appear to be coming anytime soon, so the 24-year-old decided to take advantage of FIFA's softened restrictions on players switching from one country to another.
"It was an opportunity that came up. I saw it as a good one," said Alvarez, who plays for the San Jose Earthquakes in MLS.
msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/10019898/American-playing-for-El-Salvador-in-World-Cup-qualifier#tb