News that originally broke Tuesday afternoon has been confirmed by U.S. Soccer, with the federation announcing 18-year-old Julian Green has begun the process of becoming a U.S. international.
Having already appeared once for Germany in an official FIFA competition, the Tampa, Fla.-born winger must file for a one-time change of association, but with U.S. Soccer having confirmed that filing, Green has begun the process of joining the United States’ national teams.
“We are absolutely thrilled that Julian has chosen to be a part of the U.S. National Team Programs,” head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in a statement, distributed by U.S. Soccer. “As we have said, he is a very special talent. We wanted him to feel comfortable with our program and listen to his heart when making this decision.”
The decision means Green would no longer represent Germany, where he was eligible to compete as a dual citizen. Having appeared in European U-19 Championship qualifying with the Germans, Green had to apply to FIFA for a one-time change of association. Once the process is completed, the winger will be tied to the United States’ national teams.
“I personally want to thank Kalle Rummenigge and everyone at Bayern Munich for their support through this process,” Klinsmann said, with Green currently under contract to the European champions. “He is an exciting player with a tremendously bright future.”
That future is currently being realized with Bayern’s second team: Bayern Munich II. Playing in the fourth division, the team sits atop their league’s standings thanks in large part for Green’s 15 goals in 21 appearances. The former U.S. international also made a brief UEFA Champions League appearance earlier this fall, coming on for two minutes in Bayern’s 3-1 victory at CSKA Moscow.
Green had previously trained with the U.S. in Frankfurt ahead of the team’s recent friendly against Ukraine, an experience Green cited as crucial in his decision to switch to his country of birth.
“A big part of the decision was the experience I had in Frankfurt,” Green said, via U.S. Soccer. “All the players were super nice and welcomed me from the beginning.
“Clint Dempsey gave me a jersey with my name on it, and the way they supported me gave me a lot of belief. The coaches have shown a lot of trust in me, and now I hope to do everything I can to earn a spot on the World Cup roster.”
It’s a possibility that will fuel fan speculation over the next couple of months, with the U.S.'s ability to secure this switch before this summer’s tournament a potential sign of Klinsmann’s intent. Invited to join the national team for training ahead of Apr. 2’s friendly against Mexico, Green will get a chance to impress his new national team boss before the U.S.'s pre-World Cup training camp in May.
Whether he makes the World Cup squad or not, Green will be bound to the U.S., should his one-time transfer go through, a permanency that underscored the gravity of his decision.
“Obviously this was a big decision, and I spent a long time discussing it with my family,” Green explained. “I was born in Florida and my father still lives there, so I have deep roots in the U.S. I’m very proud to be representing the United States.”
