Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 5y

Alejandro Zendejas yet to make switch request from U.S. to Mexico - FIFA

Chivas winger and former U.S. youth international Alejandro Zendejas is yet to apply for his one-time switch to be able to play for Mexico at international level, FIFA has confirmed to ESPN FC.

The Mexico-born 21-year-old was raised in the U.S., played three games for the country at the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile and was a regular for its youth national teams, but was selected for a Mexico camp with the U-22s this week, having previously been called up to the U-21s in 2017.

If Zendejas is to be part of the process building toward the 2020 Olympics with Mexico and play official games, he would have to apply to FIFA to change his international allegiance, but that has yet to happen.

"We can confirm that we haven't received an official request concerning this matter," a FIFA spokesperson told ESPN FC on Wednesday.

Former director of national teams Dennis te Kloese said in September 2017 that the Mexican federation would only apply to make the switch, which cannot be reversed, if Zendejas is likely to be part of the Olympic process.

His move to Chivas from FC Dallas in June 2016 spelled a temporary end to the player's career with the U.S. national team; the Guadalajara team allowing only players committed to the Mexican national team to feature.

The most recent high-profile case of a dual U.S.-Mexico citizen switching federation was that of Jonathan Gonzalez, who has since gone on to win senior-team caps for El Tri.

Zendejas has yet to play for Chivas in Liga MX this year, but was a regular at second division side Atletico Zacatepec in 2018.

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