More and more, Benjamin Cremaschi sees his international future with the United States.
Born and raised in Florida to Argentine parents, the Inter Miami midfielder has been involved with both Argentina and the U.S. at the youth level.
Last fall, the 19-year-old was called into the U.S. senior national team for the first time, earning his first cap in a friendly against Ghana.
Cremaschi hasn’t been involved with Argentina since a call-up to a U-20 camp in December 2022, and a recent conversation with Argentina U-23 coach Javier Mascherano appears to have pushed the midfielder even closer to U.S. Soccer.
Cremaschi was interviewed on Argentine radio station Urbana Play 104.3 FM, and was asked if he’d had any conversations with Argentina senior national team head coach Lionel Scaloni.
“I haven’t spoken to Scaloni, I spoke with [Mascherano],” Cremaschi said. “The truth is he was very honest with me. He said he wants the best for me. It wasn’t an egotistical conversation and I’m very thankful for it.”
Asked if he would consider a call-up to Argentina if it ever came, Cremaschi replied: “Yes, but [Mascherano] had things clear. He told it to me in the best way and I understood him perfectly, so I’m leaning toward the United States.”
With Mascherano apparently not considering Cremaschi for a spot on his 18-player roster for the Olympics this summer, the Inter Miami midfielder said he was hoping that he would be selected for the United States roster.
“I hope it’s my turn to go,” he said of an Olympic place.
Cremaschi missed the first two months of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery on a hernia, but has recently returned for Inter Miami. He scored his first goal of the season on Saturday as the Herons beat the New England Revolution 4-1.
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