List of Cuban football players who have defected to the United States
Since 1999, several football players have defected to the United States in an attempt to further their professional career or improve their standard of living.
Due to the Wet feet, dry feet policy in the United States, any Cuban player who sets foot in the United States is entitled to become a US resident. Maykel Galindo, one of the earlier defectors told of the incentives to leave Cuba: "They leave Cuba because they want to make something out of their lives. They are in search of the dream of playing football at a professional level and they know that Cuba will not offer them that. They do it because they feel that their family will be proud of them if they make it to the professional level and many of those players have realized that they can achieve that goal. Thankfully, in my case, doors were being opened to me."[1]
As a general rule, Cuban players who defect are not allowed to rejoin the Cuban national team for international matches. Players who defect are generally ineligible to play for the United States team, as FIFA eligibility rules only allow a player to play for one national team during his career.
Year
1999
Rodney Valdes defected to the United States during the 1999 Pan-American Games football tournament in Winnipeg, Canada.
2002
Rey Ángel Martínez and Alberto Delgado defected during the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup. They told Cuba national football team minders that they were going to make a phone call in the hotel lobby but ran out of the hotel and traveled in a taxi to Martinez's uncle.
2005
Cuban international forward Maykel Galindo sought to stay in the United States after he had arrived in the country with the Cuban national team for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
2007
Inspired by Galindo, two players defected at the following Gold Cup, two years later.
2008
Several Cuban youth players defected in 2008 following an Olympic qualifier hosted in the United States.
- Yeniel Bermudez - Cuban U23 international[8]
- José Miranda (Goalkeeper) - Cuban U23 international[8]
- Erlys García - Cuban U23 international[8]
- Yordany Alvarez (Midfielder) Cuban U23 international[8]
- Loanny Cartaya (Defender) - Cuban U23 international[8]
- Yendry Diaz - Cuban U23 international[9]
- Eder Roldán - Cuban U23 international[9]
2010
Two players defected during a 2010 World Cup qualifier.
2011
Yosniel Mesa defected during the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Yosniel Mesa - Cuban international
2012
Yosmel de Armas defected in 2012 during Cuba's qualifying campaign for the 2012 Olympics.
- Yosmel de Armas Cuban U23 international[10] (he signed for Laredo Heat in 2013[11] )
Prior to a World Cup qualifying game against Canada in Toronto, four players and the team's psychologist Ignacio Abreu Sánchez defected to the United States.[12] Cuba were not able to name any substitutes due to the defections.[13]
- Reysander Fernández (Midfielder from Ciego de Ávila)
- Heviel Cordoves (Forward, aged 23 from Havana)
- Maikel Chang (Forward, aged 21 from Havana)
- Odisnel Cooper (Goalkeeper, aged 20 from Camagüey)
2015
Four players defected during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[14]
- Keiler García (Forward, aged 25 from FC Camagüey)[15]
- Arael Argüellez (Goalkeeper, aged 28 from FC Cienfuegos)[16]
- Darío Suárez (Midfielder, aged 22 from FC La Habana)[17]
- Ariel Martínez (Midfielder, aged 29 from FC Sancti Spiritus)[18]
Another six defected during the 2015 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship:
- Emmanuel Labrada (Midfielder, aged 21 from CF Granma)[19]
- Dairon Pérez (Midfielder, aged 20 from FC La Habana)[19]
- Frank López García (Forward, aged 20 from FC Cienfuegos)[19]
- Yendry Torres (Defender, aged 19 from FC Cienfuegos)[19]
- Brian Rosales (Defender, aged 20 from FC Matanzas)
- Pedro Anderson (Midfielder, aged 21 from FC Pinar del Río)
One player defected during a personal visit:
- Jorge Luis Corrales (Defender, aged 24, from FC Pinar del Río)
One player defected having visited Mexico:
- Héctor Morales (Attacker, aged 21 from FC La Habana)
- Jonathan Moliner (Defender, aged 19 from FC Cienfuegos) also defected.
See also
References
- ↑ "Background story: Cuba missing player crisis". tropigol.com. 26 March 2003. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ↑ "Cuba critical of Pan Am organizers" (pdf). Laredo Morning Times. 3 August 1999. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- ↑ Wilner, Barry (2 August 1999). "Cuban Defects at Pan Am Games". CubaNet.org. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- 1 2 "Cuban defectors a first for MLS". Miami Herald. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Cuban soccer stars Pedro Faife and Reynier Alcantara defect to America". nydailynews.com. 11 October 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ↑ "'Special edge' for Cuban defector Alonso". USAToday.com. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ↑ "Charleston Battery signs Cuban striker Lester Moré". oursportscentral.com. 7 March 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Five Cuban Soccer Players Defect in Florida, Miami Herald Says". Bloomberg. 13 March 2008.
- 1 2 "Cuban soccer officials stunned by desertions of up to 7 players". Ny Daily news. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ↑ "Cuba defender Yosmel De Armas is believed to be attempting to defect to the United States". Yahoo Sports. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ↑ "Laredo Heat roster (2013)". USLsoccer.com. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ↑ "Desertaron en Canadá cuatro futbolistas del equipo cubano" (in Spanish). Clarin.com. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ↑ "Canada vs Cuba match report". FIFA.com. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ↑ "Gold Cup: Striker Ariel Martinez becomes the fourth player to defect from Cuba". MLSsoccer.com. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- ↑ "Keilen García desertó de la selección de Cuba". futbol.univision.com. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
- ↑ "Deserta otro jugador cubano en Chicago" (in Spanish). Univision (Miami). 10 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ "2 Cuban players believed to have defected before match at BofA stadium Dario Suarez and Arichel Hernandez were both no-shows before match". Charlotte Observer. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
- ↑ "Gold Cup: Striker Ariel Martinez becomes the fourth player to defect from Cuba". 18 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 "United States beat Canada in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying". ESPN. 1 October 2015.