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Originally Posted by KILLERBS24
If you are born and raised in this country you are American, period. We all have heritage from other cultures. He is not a dominican citizen so to say that he didn't want to let the DR down is ridiculous. Vlad and Tejada are Dominicans, you aren't Alex. And yes the american players of italian heritage playing for Italy is equally ridiculous.
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It's not that simple. I came to Canada at age 11 and became a citizen at 19. Although proud of my birthright if I were good enough to play I'd pick Canada.
Canada has a strange inferiority complex with international play, Owen Hargreaves, a Canadian soccer player, was signed by FC Bayern Munchen at 16. The pointy heads at Soccer Canada didn't think he was good enough to play for Canada, however as he got older and caught the attention of the English he had the option to pick England (or Wales) because of his parents nationality. To me he made the obvious choice, but in Canada this is taken personally especially by the media.
Brett Hull, an American was also criticized for not choosing Canada (he also had the choice) even though he was routinely dismissed as a one-way player for most of his career.
It's strange hypocrisy because actors, scientists, broadcasters, writers and politicians have been known to change countries yet nothing is said.
If players are criticized for considering a different country, when they have a choice, then anyone who comes from another country to the US or Canada should be equally criticized if they take citizenship and choose to play internationally here in North America.