David Ruiz’s agent explains why he is not with the Honduras squad
Pedro Nery talked about why the Inter Miami player did not show up for duty with Honduras and confirmed that they hope to speak with FENAFUTH.
David Ruiz was called up by Honduras for this month’s Concacaf Nations League games against Cuba but has been unable to report for duty. The Catrachos, who are third in Group B, hope to book their ticket to the quarter finals, and with it, a route to Copa América 2024. Inter Miami midfielder David Ruiz will not be involved - at least not in the first game, away at Félix Sánchez Olympic stadium in Santo Domingo.
In an interview with Honduran journalist Jose Armando Rodríguez for Deporte Total USA, David Ruiz’s agent agent Pedro Nery explained the player’s absence: “David is in a bad way right now. He’s not in very good health. He was not in optimal condition for the two games against Cuba, as he has been suffering from gastritis”.
The agent gave a detailed update on the Inter Miami youth player’s current situation: “We were waiting first to find out what the problem was. We did not want to talk to the Federation (FENAFUTH) without knowing. We had to go to the hospital as Ruiz was not feeling very well. At first, we thought it was a virus, but after speaking with the doctors and finding out more, we were able to talk to the Federation”.
He continued: “He has already recovered and it is not a physical problem. Ruiz has not said no to the national team. He is sad for not being able to play for Honduras right now, he was happy to represent his country and play. But you have to think about the player, it has nothing to do with the other news that everyone is talking about.”
Tough decision
It is a thorny issue for the 21-year-old midfielder, who is in the enviable position of being able to choose between two national teams - Honduras or the United States. He was born in Miami to Honduran parents, but the family moved back home to La Ceiba for a few years before returning to Florida where David, aged eight, signed up with Deportivo Cali Soccer Academy.
The problem is that if he represents Honduras in this month’s games against Cuba, he will no longer be eligible to play for another national team. The USMNT is also considering calling him up... Nery explained: “As I said before, David can play two more games for Honduras. That is not the reason, we are only thinking about the footballer’s health”.
Ruiz has already played one game with Honduras - he came on as a late sub, replacing Edwin Rodríguez for the last 20 minutes of the 4-0 win over Grenada. But he could still theoretically play for the USMNT - as long as he doesn’t make any more appearances for Honduras.
There have been several similar cases in the past although the rules on switching national teams was recently amended. Article 6 of FIFA’s eligibility rules state:
A player, who, under the terms of art. 5, is eligible to represent more than
one association on account of his nationality, may play in an international
match for one of these associations only if, in addition to holding the
relevant nationality, he fulfils at least one of the following conditions:
a) He was born on the territory of the relevant association;
b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of
the relevant association;
c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the
relevant association;
d) He has lived on the territory of the relevant association for at least five
years.
Article 9 states that players are able to switch national teams if “at the time of being fielded for his last match in an official competition in any kind of football for his current association, he had not turned 21 years old”. Seeing as Ruiz is still only 19, he will still be able to play for the USMNT if he gets called.