Cade Cowell on his international future as a dual-nationality player ' I really could play for both'

Cade Cowell stands among the dual-nationality players inching towards an important international decision. 

The San Jose Earthquakes player can represent both the United States and Mexico, as an American citizen with family ties to Mexico. Cowell’s maternal grandfather enabled Cade, and his younger brother Chance, to file the necessary paperwork to obtain a Mexican passport in May 2022.  

Up until now, the forward has only featured for the US men’s national team, working through youth levels before earning his first senior cap on January 25, 2023. Mexico has not yet called him up to a camp or friendlies. 

But he insists on taking a pragmatic approach to international football by leaving both options open. 

“It’s good to know I have the option, you have to have an open mind. I really could play for both. If one doesn’t call me, I can play for the other. It’s really what it is,” he said exclusively to 90min. 

Cowell emphasized the decision will not be emotional, admitting he does not hold a strong connection to Mexico. 

“I mean, honestly I don’t have too much of a connection [with Mexico.] I’ve only been on trips for soccer. My brother has been way more than me, so I am sure his connection is much more. But I don’t really have much of a connection to the country.” 

Though Cowell has featured for the American team before, he remains eligible to play for Mexico without applying for FIFA’s One Time Switch since the games were unofficial friendlies. But with Nation’s League matches coming up in March, commitment is on the horizon.  

On a club level, the forward will head into his fifth professional season with the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer, where he’s managed nine goals and 12 assists in 81 appearances. He first kicked off in 2019, after working through the Quakes Academy to earn a Homegrown Player contract. 

But it wasn’t until 2021 that Cowell began leading the attack for the California team, recording five goals and six assists for the team. Though the Quakes have seen a decline in form, concluding in the bottom half of the Western Conference table in recent years, new head coach Luchi Gonzalez is confident Cowell can inspire success.