Juergen Klinsmann lures German teen Julian Green to U.S. side

German-American teenager Julian Green has decided to represent the U.S. in international competition, applying to soccer’s world governing body for a one-time change of association.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Julian has chosen to be part of the U.S. national team programs,” said U.S. Coach Juergen Klinsmann, who has made no secret of his desire to have Green join his team. “He is a very special talent. We wanted him to feel comfortable with our program and listen to his heart when making this decision.”

Green, who plays for German club Bayern Munich, was born in Tampa, Fla., to an American father and German mother, then moved to Germany when he was 2. He has both U.S. and German citizenship. He has been part of a U.S. U-18 camp and recently trained with the senior national team.

But because he played for Germany in a qualifier for the U-19 European Championships, he needed to apply for a change of association to join the U.S. team in competition.

Per FIFA rules, a player cannot represent any country until the process is complete. That could take weeks, so though Green, 18, has been invited to take part in the U.S. team training camp before next month’s friendly with Mexico in Glendale, Ariz., it is uncertain whether he’ll be allowed to play in the game.

“Obviously, this was a big decision and I spent a long time discussing it with my family,” Green said in a statement. “I have deep roots in the U.S. I’m very proud to be representing the United States.”