Eighteen-year-old German-American striker Julian Green has officially decided to represent the United States internationally, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said and multiple sources told ESPNFC on Tuesday.
The Florida-born Green, who had made two senior team appearances for UEFA Champions League holders Bayern Munich this season, submitted paperwork to FIFA, the sources said.
Klinsmann confirmed Green's decision on Twitter:
U.S. Soccer is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday evening, a source with knowledge of the federation's plans said. Earlier Tuesday, SI.com reported that Green would train with the U.S. ahead of next month’s friendly in Phoenix against Mexico, as he had before the Americans' March 5 loss to Ukraine in Cyprus.
Green's application to switch international teams may or may not be approved in time for Green to participate in the Mexico match, which is the last tune-up for Klinsmann's team before its pre-World Cup training camp begins in Northern California in mid-May. But Green is eligible to play for the U.S., so it's simply a matter of time until he gets the green light.
The appeal to FIFA was necessary because Green has participated in competitive matches with Germany's under-19 team during European qualifying.
But Klinsmann, a former star forward and coach at Bayern, has been heavily recruiting Green. He originally invited him to train with the Yanks in November, an invitation Green declined. But Green accepted the invite earlier this month and was photographed in a group picture with five of the squad's other German-Americans.
Last week, Klinsmann told USsoccer.com that if Green decided to represent his birth nation, he'll have a chance to make the 23-man squad for this summer's World Cup in Brazil.
"This is a player who has tremendous potential going forward," Klinsmann said. "I think there's a strong chance to see him rather sooner than later and there's also a chance for him to break even into this World Cup roster. But first he has to make this decision and we go from there."