American-born Brian Gutierrez and Obed Vargas signal a new era for Mexico at the World Cup

Last updated on June 10, 2026

Midway through Mexico’s World Cup roster announcement video, the words, “Mexico is not a place — it’s something you carry with you, something you embrace. And once you choose it, you never let it go,” are spoken by an AI narration in the voice of Mexican comedic icon Roberto Gomez Bolanos, “Chespirito.”

The statement appears to have been placed intentionally, as those words resonate strongly for the Mexican national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which Mexico will co-host with Canada and the United States.

Five foreign-born players who have chosen to represent the country were called up by “El Tri” coach Javier Aguirre for the upcoming World Cup, marking a record number for Mexico on soccer’s biggest stage.

Three of those players are naturalized citizens. Santiago Gimenez was born in Argentina but raised in Mexico. His father, Christian “Chaco” Gimenez, was a Liga MX standout who played for Argentina at youth level before later being capped by “El Tri.”

Meanwhile, Julian Quinones and Alvaro Fidalgo established themselves in Liga MX after immigrating from their respective countries as adults. Quinones was born in Colombia, while Fidalgo was born in Spain.

Then there is American-born Brian Gutierrez — from Berwyn, Illinois — and Obed Vargas — from Anchorage, Alaska — who are eligible to represent “El Tri” as they are “Mexican by birth.”

Under Article 30, Section A, Part II of the Mexican Constitution, individuals born abroad are considered Mexican by birth if they are the children of Mexican parents — a Mexican mother or a Mexican father.

Both of Gutierrez’s parents are from San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco, while Vargas’s father is a native of Morelia, Michoacan, and his mother was raised in Mexico City.

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“Obviously, I’m taking it day by day and just trying to enjoy the experience,” said Gutierrez about the opportunity to play for Mexico at the World Cup. “I talk about it a lot with my friends and family. Honestly, it’s amazing, and I don’t think it has fully hit me yet. For now, I’m just living in the moment.”

Gutierrez, 22, and Vargas, 20, are not the first players born in the United States to represent Mexico in a World Cup. That distinction belongs to Miguel Ponce and Isaac Brizuela, who were both born in California and part of the 2014 squad. But the comparisons largely end there.

Unlike Ponce and Brizuela, Gutierrez and Vargas were fully raised in the United States and went through their entire soccer development on American fields.

Also, unlike Ponce and Brizuela, who were considered fringe contributors, Gutierrez and Vargas are viewed as top-tier talents who could become cornerstones of “El Tri” for years to come. Gutierrez could play an important role as soon as this upcoming World Cup.

Their presence on “El Vasco” Javier Aguirre’s squad could signal a new era for the Mexican national team — one in which Mexican-American players are just as vital as those born on Mexican soil.

“Brian and Obed are two young players of Mexican heritage. They are very talented players who have made great progress recently. We called them up, and they convinced us with their performances,” said Aguirre. “I believe there are many Mexican-American players who, in the future, will continue strengthening Mexico’s youth national teams, including the women’s side. That makes me happy because they were not born in Mexico, yet they have a deep love for the country and have shown it by choosing to represent us.”

“I’m happy with Brian and Obed — I’m sure they will help us.”

Both Gutierrez and Vargas are products of MLS academies.

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Gutierrez, a skillful and dynamic attacking midfielder, rose through the ranks of Chicago Fire’s youth team and made his senior debut in 2020. In December, he moved to storied Liga MX club Chivas, his childhood club. It took time for Gutierrez to establish himself as a starter for Gabriel Milito’s squad, but his game-changing talent was there — enough to catch the eye of “El Vasco.”

Vargas, a quintessential box-to-box midfielder, developed through the Seattle Sounders youth system and debuted with the senior team in 2021. A brilliant showing against Atletico de Madrid in the 2025 Club World Cup led to the Spanish side adding him to their roster this February. This move put him in Aguirre’s World Cup plans.

“Playing for Mexico at the World Cup is a dream come true for all Mexican-American kids,” said Vargas. “Obviously, with the World Cup being in both countries, it’s special to me. I have connections and ties to both countries.”

For so long, it was said Mexican-American players just could not break through with Mexico at the international level. Players like Edgar Castillo (Las Cruces) and Alejandro Zendejas — born in Juarez but raised in El Paso, Texas — represented “El Tri” up to the U-23 level, then chose to play for the U.S. Jonathan Gonzalez (Santa Rosa, California) represented the U.S. at youth level and then switched to Mexico, but after a few call-ups he fell out of the picture.

But in this World Cup cycle — particularly during “El Vasco’s” third stint, which began in August 2024 when he replaced Jaime Lozano — Mexican-American players have stood out more than ever.

Aguirre’s preliminary 55-man World Cup roster included a total of six Mexican-American players. Richard Ledezma (Phoenix), Efrain Alvarez (Los Angeles), Jorge Ruvalcaba (Rialto, California), and Julian Araujo (Lompoc, California) ultimately missed the final 26 man list. Of the four, Ledezma and Araujo came closest to making the team, but for different reasons fell short.

Vargas believes it was only a matter of time before the talent broke through.

“I think Mexican-American players have always been there. The quality has always been there. Obviously, the growing passion for the sport in the United States has helped fuel the development of many of those players,” said Vargas. “I think it’s amazing to see so many Mexican-Americans doing well with the national teams of both the United States and Mexico. Dreams come true for kids, and that continues to inspire the next generation of Mexican-American players coming through in the U.S.”

Gutierrez and Vargas, like many standout Mexican-American players over the past 15 years, began their paths with “El Tri” amid a long-standing tug-of-war between their birth country and the country of their parents. The Mexico national team and U.S. Soccer have increasingly become rivals, both on the field and in recruiting dual-national players.

For Mexico, the United States now represents a prime area for scouting outside its territory. According to Migration Policy Institute’s (MPI) tabulation of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, approximately 38.8 million U.S. residents were either born in Mexico or reported Mexican ancestry or origin.

And not only do Mexican-American players expand the national team’s talent pool, but as some argue, they also bring a different element that can be a major advantage for the program.

Former Mexico youth coach and current Guatemala coach Luis Fernando Tena recently raised eyebrows in an interview with ESPN Deportes by stating that Mexican-American raised players possess qualities that can set them apart from homegrown Mexican players.

“They have an American mindset. They grew up with that mentality and with good nutrition, and that makes them different,” said Tena, who led Mexico’s U-23 team to the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. “They are more disciplined, work harder, and are more focused — something that we sometimes don’t always find in many Mexican born players.”

Gutierrez and Vargas started their international careers representing Team USA at youth level, but FIFA’s one-time switch rule allowed them to change allegiances.

Vargas said he chose to represent Mexico instead because he simply “followed his heart.” His love for his heritage and the Mexican national team outweighed everything else.

As for Gutierrez, he was motivated to make the change because his time at Chivas convinced him. In Liga MX, “Rebaño Sagrado” has been at the forefront of tapping into the Mexican diaspora in the U.S. Their long-standing “Mexicans-only” policy, which is seen as outdated by some, limits the club’s talent pool when acquiring players. Because of this, Mexican-American players are becoming a vital lifeline for Chivas.

“As soon as I arrived at Chivas, I knew representing Mexico was also part of the decision,” said Gutierrez. “Since we play with an all-Mexican team, that’s just part of the culture and identity of the club. Obviously, I’m a big fan, and I’ve loved every moment so far.”

Opportunity may have also played a major role in Gutierrez and Vargas’s “one-time switch” decisions. Both had no clear pathway into the U.S. senior squad, while Mexico offered a clearer route — and a chance at the 2026 World Cup.

In a 2023 interview, El Paso native Ricardo Pepi, who made the one-time switch from Mexico to the U.S., said on the Men in Blazers podcast that his decision was influenced by the fact that the U.S. had him in mind for the senior squad, while “El Tri” did not.

“It was just easy to decide. The U.S. wanted me to join them in World Cup qualifiers, which is a big deal,” said Pepi. “It’s a unique opportunity, being at a World Cup, and something I didn’t even have to think about because Mexico wanted me for the U-20s and eventually the first team. I was like, ‘I’m past that.’”

But although Gutierrez and Vargas chose to represent Mexico and embrace their parents’ culture, their duality is still present. They carry their communities with them.

A year ago, when aggressive ICE raids and mass deportations swept through many immigrant communities in the United States, particularly Mexican communities, a visibly frustrated Aguirre refused to comment on the situation, saying he was “apolitical” and not “a spokesperson” for the Mexican people.

This was not the case with Gutierrez and Vargas, who both addressed questions about the ICE raids during Mexico’s World Cup media day in Pasadena, where they switched seamlessly between English and Spanish.

Gutierrez answered without hesitation.

His hometown of Berwyn is a suburb of Chicago, a city that in September was targeted by “Operation Midway Blitz,” a major federal immigration enforcement surge. According to the Chicago Tribune, between 3,800 and 4,500 individuals were detained or arrested during the operation.

Gutierrez’s words reflected the strain felt throughout his community.

“It’s been a hard, hard year for us,” Gutierrez said. “It’s affected a lot of families, and I take playing for Mexico with great pride and hopefully show it on the field.”