Bayern Munich Starlet Julian Green Opts for German U-19 Team; USA Still Hopeful

German-American youngster Julian Green, who was born in Tampa, Florida, has opted to continue representing Germany at the U-19 level. This comes just weeks after his first-team Bayern Munich debut. The highly rated winger represented the United States at the U-18 level and has already caught the eye of US Head Coach and Technical Director Jürgen Klinsmann who tried to call Green into the US camp before friendlies last month.

“We are in talks with him. Right now, he has opted to play for the Germany under-19 team,” Klinsmann told ESPN FC. “We don’t put any stress on him and remain in talks in order to convince him to play for the U.S. someday.”

While the United States has made a habit in recent years of convincing German-Americans to play for them, the two most talented American eligible players in recent years with dual citizenship opted to play elsewhere — Giuseppe Rossi and Neven Subotić. In Subotić’s case, he like Green represented the US at the youth level before opting for Serbia. A difference though is that Subotić was actually living in the US and was brought through the National Academy in Bradenton before signing to Mainz and following Jürgen Klopp to Dortmund.

But the Subotić and Rossi episodes have left a bad taste in the minds of many American soccer fans who are now fearful something similar is happening with Green. However, when you consider Green grew up in Germany, plays for Bayern and could feature for the German national side, it is difficult to fault his decision.

Klinsmann however vows to keep trying to convince Green to switch back to the United States, a decision he will have to make before his 21st birthday or being capped in a competitive match for Germany under FIFA rules.