Never before has the world been such a melting pot of nationalities, cultures, and races, thanks to the ongoing rise of global migration. That has had a profound impact on the makeup of international soccer teams across the globe, as demonstrated at the 2026 World Cup.

Of the 1,248 players selected to compete at this summer’s tournament, 289 represent a country different from the one they were born in.

In some cases, such as Erling Haaland, who was born in England while his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, was playing for Leeds United, there was never any doubt about which national team he would represent. For others, the question of nationality and identity is considerably more complex.

Forty of the 48 World Cup participants have at least one player born in another country on their roster. Incredibly, only one member of Curaçao’s 26-player squad was actually born on the Caribbean island.

Mexico’s American-born World Cup players

Staying within CONCACAF, five Mexico players were born elsewhere, with two eligible to play for the USMNT, El Tri’s biggest rivals on the international stage.

Young midfielder Obed Vargas, who was born in Anchorage, Alaska, played 11 games for the United States’ U20 and U23 teams before switching allegiances to Mexico in 2024. The 20-year-old made his senior debut in October that year, ironically in a victory over the USMNT, and has won six caps in total.

The other Mexican who could have played for the United States is Brian Gutiérrez, who was born in Berwyn, Illinois. The 23-year-old played for the Stars and Stripes at multiple youth levels between 2019 and 2023 and even appeared in two friendlies for the senior team in January 2025.

However, Gutiérrez had a change of heart in November last year and took advantage of not yet being cap-tied to the USMNT to declare for Mexico. He has since played eight times for El Tri, scoring two goals since making his debut in January 2026.

Alejandro Zendejas went the other way

On the other side of the same coin is Alejandro Zendejas, who was born in Ciudad Juárez but has represented the USMNT since 2023. The Club América attacker has had a complex international career, first playing for the United States at youth level before switching to Mexico without consulting FIFA.

Zendejas played two friendlies for El Tri in 2021 and 2022 when he should not have done, which led to both the Mexican federation and the player being fined. The following year, he resumed his international career with the USMNT and is one of six foreign-born players in the United States’ 2026 World Cup squad.

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