Santiago Lopez

[gigi riva]

I guess the rumblings of Lopez getting called for September are true .

[gigi riva]

5 hours ago, An Observer said:

Everytime I see this I think “the girl in red isn’t even that hot”. Then I realise it’s Canada Soccer. We need to lower our standards.

She is okay in a Markie Post kind of way 

[Unnamed Trialist]

5 hours ago, An Observer said:

Everytime I see this I think “the girl in red isn’t even that hot”. Then I realise it’s Canada Soccer. We need to lower our standards.

That pic was taken in Girona with the habitual models of a guy from Barcelona who shoots these encapsulated human dramas for Shutterstock, the name's Antonio Guillem. 

They're actually quite Catalan looking 🤪, then there's the fact the girls could be sisters.

[Obinna]

Am I the only one who wonders why this kid isn't playing more at Pumas?

I like what I have seen, which is admittedly not much, basically a half match against Panama U20 and highlights, but that was against youth teams, now we are talking about him being called to the full National Team. Different level.

I am all for taking players from Mexico, don't get me wrong, but if he's so good why isn't Mexico pushing for him? Seems kind of weird to me. 

I am pleased we are calling him, and nice we are rewarding him, and yes he is for the future, but if he wants to crack the national team in a year or two, when he turns 20, he's going to have to start playing more at Pumas, and I don't see any signs of progress.

Anyone know more about his club situation? Is it just a matter of time before he breaks out? We are stacked with attackers and if he is only having a cup of coffee in Liga MX, is he a realistic option?

[blueseeka]

This seems more like the Swiderski camp callup rather than a full CMNT callup. Would guess Poku would be the same.

Great way to reward young promising kids and get them involved with the CMNT.

[jordan]

Pumas U23 play at 11am et tomorrow and first team at 9. He played a game with the U23’s in July before the league went on break.

[narduch]

He hasn't played in Liga MX since January

[ahmedou]

I'm not a follower of Liga MX. But is the fact that he chooses Canada over Mexico can have an impact on his career there?

[Kent]

7 hours ago, Obinna said:

Am I the only one who wonders why this kid isn't playing more at Pumas?

I like what I have seen, which is admittedly not much, basically a half match against Panama U20 and highlights, but that was against youth teams, now we are talking about him being called to the full National Team. Different level.

I am all for taking players from Mexico, don't get me wrong, but if he's so good why isn't Mexico pushing for him? Seems kind of weird to me. 

I am pleased we are calling him, and nice we are rewarding him, and yes he is for the future, but if he wants to crack the national team in a year or two, when he turns 20, he's going to have to start playing more at Pumas, and I don't see any signs of progress.

Anyone know more about his club situation? Is it just a matter of time before he breaks out? We are stacked with attackers and if he is only having a cup of coffee in Liga MX, is he a realistic option?

Wasn't Luc de Fougerolles playing in youth leagues when he got called up? And I thought someone mentioned (can't remember where, either somewhere on this forum or on Facebook CPL fan group) that Mexico was trying to get Lopez into the Mexican U23 team or something? Not sure if that last part is speculation or if there is a source somewhere.

I have really liked what I've seen of Lopez. While I was watching him I was thinking he could probably be called up now.

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, Kent said:

Wasn't Luc de Fougerolles playing in youth leagues when he got called up? And I thought someone mentioned (can't remember where, either somewhere on this forum or on Facebook CPL fan group) that Mexico was trying to get Lopez into the Mexican U23 team or something? Not sure if that last part is speculation or if there is a source somewhere.

I have really liked what I've seen of Lopez. While I was watching him I was thinking he could probably be called up now.

Yeah now that you mention it the Mexico U23 thing sounds familiar, but to me it still seems they are not fighting too hard for him. Maybe that's because he's not showing any Mexico interest and is all-in on Canada and they know it? If you're the FMF, how much will you push for one young player when you have so many others with a similar profile and resume?

As for LDF, yes I do recall he was playing youth league ball, but what got us excited was his string of bench apperances for Fulham and his start in the League Cup. At the time, Bombito wasn't cemented into our national team as the RCB, and with Vitoria aging out things were looking grim at that position. That was the backdrop when LDF earned his call up against Japan, he represented a glimmer of hope for a position of need.

Contrast that with Lopez, who has roughly the same level of pro experience, but at a much lower level, and up against a position where help isn't needed. It's just a different situation, I feel.

Again, glad to have him on board, I just think he needs to start playing at club very soon if he wants to break in.

[Bigandy]

5 hours ago, Obinna said:

Yeah now that you mention it the Mexico U23 thing sounds familiar, but to me it still seems they are not fighting too hard for him. Maybe that's because he's not showing any Mexico interest and is all-in on Canada and they know it? If you're the FMF, how much will you push for one young player when you have so many others with a similar profile and resume?

As for LDF, yes I do recall he was playing youth league ball, but what got us excited was his string of bench apperances for Fulham and his start in the League Cup. At the time, Bombito wasn't cemented into our national team as the RCB, and with Vitoria aging out things were looking grim at that position. That was the backdrop when LDF earned his call up against Japan, he represented a glimmer of hope for a position of need.

Contrast that with Lopez, who has roughly the same level of pro experience, but at a much lower level, and up against a position where help isn't needed. It's just a different situation, I feel.

Again, glad to have him on board, I just think he needs to start playing at club very soon if he wants to break in.

I'd imagine his main value will be when the olderish strikers phase out and we need a winger/false 9 type player. 

With jebbo and david so young, not to mention any number of our other strikers, he would likely need to become elite or have a different profile to our other strikers in order for him to crack out 11. 

[RS]

17 hours ago, gigi riva said:

She is okay in a Markie Post kind of way 

Dead since 2021?

[74 Whitecap]

1 hour ago, Bigandy said:

I'd imagine his main value will be when the olderish strikers phase out and we need a winger/false 9 type player. 

With jebbo and david so young, not to mention any number of our other strikers, he would likely need to become elite or have a different profile to our other strikers in order for him to crack out 11. 

Yes, based on what I saw in the U-20, his most value to us would not be as a striker, but rather as a false 9 or attacking mid, Osorio type role.

[Acid-Tone]

18 hours ago, gigi riva said:

She is okay in a Markie Post kind of way 

What is wrong with you?

Markie Post was a smokeshow back in the day!

[jordan]

Not playing with the U23’s this morning, couldn’t tell from the photos if he travelled with the first team.

[narduch]

By the way when he did play with the senior team in January his jersey number was 254!

[Dominic94]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but apparently LIGA is very hard to crack for a young player as they don’t seem to trust and promote their own. 

[ahmedou]

21 minutes ago, narduch said:

By the way when he did play with the senior team in January his jersey number was 254!

"I like my jersey number 254"

[jordan]

1 hour ago, jordan said:

Not playing with the U23’s this morning, couldn’t tell from the photos if he travelled with the first team.

I was wrong he started for the U23 team, Mexican flag next to his name threw me off. 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 8/22/2024 at 1:57 PM, Atlantic said:

Reportedly will be called up for the September window 

 

Not in the squad?

https://canada-soccer-pressroom.prezly.com/canmnt-roster-announced-for-september-friendlies-against-fifa-world-cup-26-co-hosts-usa-and-mexico

Did he refuse? Did Mexico seduce him?

 

[narduch]

5 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Not in the squad?

https://canada-soccer-pressroom.prezly.com/canmnt-roster-announced-for-september-friendlies-against-fifa-world-cup-26-co-hosts-usa-and-mexico

Did he refuse? Did Mexico seduce him?

 

I believe they said he would be there as an extra training player.

[VinceA]

2 minutes ago, narduch said:

I believe they said he would be there as an extra training player.

It was the same with Swiderski but he was listed on the roster with an added distinction as a training player. Doesn't seem there's anything like that for Lopez.

Edited August 27 by VinceA

[ahmedou]

Coach Jesse on Santiago Lopez:

“I’ve initiated contact with Santiago... I think he was a standout player for us at the U20s! For right now, we’re going to leave him with his club Pumas and give him the opportunity to potentially take that [U20] performance and add it to the first team level at Pumas..''

“My sources in Mexico have said that people in Pumas are very positive about him as a player and his future with the club! We certainly know that he has dual-national opportunities... But it’s clear also that he values playing for the Canadian national team! I'll certainly engage him to try to let him know that we want him to be part of the future plans of what we’re developing here...''

“He has a lot of qualities to fit in with what we’re doing! I hope to have some meaningful conversations with him soon... And to definitely include him in what we’re hoping to establish here in the next windows...”