Meet the Two Ex-USMNT Prospects Poached by Mexico Ahead of 2026 World Cup

Two USMNT-capped players made their debut for Mexico in El Tri’s first match of 2026.

Brian Gutiérrez (left) and Richard Ledezma both represented the USMNT during their youth career. | Roy K Miller/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images, TF-Images/Getty Images

The longstanding battle for dual-national players between Mexico and the United States reignited this week after former U.S. men’s national team players Richard Ledezma and Brian Gutiérrez made their international debuts in El Tri’s green shirt.

By far the biggest surprise of Javier Aguirre’s 27-man roster for Mexico’s January camp was the inclusion of the two Mexican-American talents. Both players had never played for El Tri at any point of their careers, with the pair previously representing the USMNT throughout their youth and even earning a senior international debuts for the Stars and Stripes.

Nevertheless, in the last seven months both players joined Liga MX powerhouse Chivas to reinforce a previously sleeping giant that’s returned to prominence under the watchful eye of manager Gabriel Milito. Famously, only players with a Mexican passport are allowed to play for Chivas, a team that proudly boasts the slogan of being "El Equipo más Mexicano” (the most Mexican team).

The pair of U.S. born talents not only play for The Most Mexican Team, but they also made history on Thursday night when they took the pitch donning El Tri’s jersey for the first time in Mexico’s 1–0 win over Panama.

Both players will look to earn a spot in Mexico’s 2026 World Cup roster. Yet ... who exactly are Ledezma and Gutiérrez?

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Richard Ledezma: Mexico’s Answer at Right Back

Richard Ledezma (right) was one of Mexico’s best players vs. Panama. | Arnulf Franco/AFP/Getty Images

Right back became arguably the biggest position of need for Aguirre in the aftermath of Rodrigo Huescas’s devastating knee injury. In Ledezma, Aguirre appears to have found the perfect replacement.

Born in Phoenix, Ledezma made the move to Europe at a young age to play in PSV Eindhioven’s academy. He eventually returned to Major League Soccer and played one season with New York City FC, before returning to PSV for the 2024–25 term.

During this time, Ledezma played for the USMNT in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup and even made his senior team debut in a friendly in 2020. But opportunities at the international stage have not been granted to him since, and the 25-year-old switched his allegiance after one season in Liga MX.

Back in November, Ledezma admitted, “I would like to represent Mexico and if I do well at Chivas I can make it to the World Cup.” Fast forward two months and the dynamic fullback filed his one-time switch with FIFA to represent El Tri for the rest of his international career and made his debut days later.

Ledezma’s innate attacking profile and quality in the final third were on full display vs. Panama, where he was one of Mexico’s best players. No other player at Aguirre’s disposal can replicate what Huescas offers better than Ledezma, making him a very real candidate to earn a place in El Tri’s World Cup roster.

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Brian Gutiérrez: Pochettino Reject Aims to Blossom Under Aguirre

Brian Gutiérrez’s versatility could be exploited by Aguirre. | Arnulf Franco/AFP/Getty Images

This time last year, Gutiérrez started two friendly matches under Mauricio Pochettino in the USMNT’s Jan. 2025 camp vs. Venezuela and Costa Rica. In a roster made up entirely of MLS players, the then-Chicago Fire star was one of the standout performers of the camp.

The 22-year-old Chicago native is a product of Chicago Fire’s academy and featured regularly in USMNT at the U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels. Pochettino included him in his 2025 Concacaf Nations League roster, but he failed to make his official debut with the Stars and Stripes and was later one of the last players to be cut from the 2025 Gold Cup roster.

Because he never made an official appearance at any level with the USMNT, Gutiérrez didn’t need to file a one-time switch to play for Mexico and he still could potentially represent the U.S. in the future. Yet, after leaving Chicago for Chivas a month ago, Gutierrez appears to have a made up his mind on what national team he wants to represent moving forward.

“It was my decision to come to Chivas because it’s all Mexican players,” Gutiérrez said after his debut with El Tri. “When I came to Chivas, I was already 100% with Mexico.”

Through just three games with Chivas, Gutiérrez earned his El Tri debut after impressive performances in midfield. His willingness to cover ground combined with his confidence on the ball and ability to play all over the midfield—including the wings—make him a very attractive alternative for Aguirre to consider before the World Cup.

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USMNT, Mexico Continue Race for Dual Nationals

Ricardo Pepi (front) opted to play for the USMNT instead of Mexico. | John Todd/USSF/Getty Images

Mexico and the USMNT have long been immersed in a race to lock down Mexican-American talents. The race for dual-nationals has existed for a long time, but it has only intensified since the start of the decade.

In many cases, such as with Ledezma and Gutiérrez, dual-nationals switch allegiances once they get to the senior level and after representing the other country at the youth level.

Alejandro Zendejas has blossomed into one of the best players in Liga MX over the past two years, but after representing Mexico throughout his youth, he decided to play for the USMNT at the senior level.

On the other hand, Obed Vargas, recently named the best young player in MLS, represented the USMNT in the 2023 U-20 World Cup. Two years later, he featured in the same tournament, only this time playing for Mexico after he filed his one-time switch.

Other examples of players that could’ve played for either country include USMNT regulars Ricardo Pepi and Diego Luna. For Mexico, Julián Araújo stood out as the most recent victory in the race for dual-nationals until Vargas and the duo of Chivas players also joined El Tri.

More and more Mexican-Americans are currently coming up the youth ranks of both nations, meaning the race to secure the top dual-nationals isn’t expected to stop any time soon. To the contrary, Ledezma and Gutiérrez may very well be the cases that launch a thousand ships in the battle between the two historic Concacaf powerhouses.

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