FIFA approves Julian Green's one-time switch from Germany to United States

Jurgen Klinsmann talks to his newest recruit, Julian Green, during training prior to the USA's friendly against Ukraine earlier this month. (John Todd/ISIPhotos)

It's official: Julian Green is a U.S. national team forward.

FIFA approved Green's one-time switch from Germany to the United States Monday, according to U.S. Soccer, clearing the way for Green to make his debut against Mexico on April 2. Green had made his announcement last week and has already been cleared by Bayern Munich to join the USA ahead of the friendly, which does not fall on a FIFA international fixture date, thus requiring the club to provide permission for his release.

“We are obviously thrilled,” U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann said in a U.S. Soccer statement. “We appreciate FIFA’s effort in getting his paperwork approved, and are excited to have him on board for the game against Mexico on April 2.”

The 18-year-old Green continues to play for Bayern Munich's second team as he ascends with the runaway Bundesliga leader and defending German, European and Club World Cup champions. He played 90 minutes over the weekend for Bayern Munich II -- which leads its subsection of the Regionalliga -- going scoreless in a 2-2 draw with Viktoria Aschaffenburg. He has 15 goals in 22 games with the fourth-tier side.

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He becomes the second player to go through the one-time switch process under Klinsmann, joining AZ Alkmaar star Aron Johannsson, who switched from Iceland to the USA. Johannsson's switch took FIFA two weeks to process, while Green's took all of six days.