Poland calls up USMNT prospect Gabriel Slonina for Nations League

The teenage star has accepted a call to the European country after he was called up to the USMNT earlier this year

Having just turned 18, Gabriel Slonina has marked himself one of the top goalkeeper prospects in world soccer, and the U.S. national team’s goalkeeper of the future.

But what if … he wasn’t the USMNT’s goalkeeper of the future?

Poland certainly hopes that will be the case and the European nation took a step in that direction on Tuesday by calling up the mega-talented teenager for its four upcoming UEFA Nations League matches.

The Chicago Fire star was one of five goalkeepers called up for Poland’s games against Belgium (two matches), Wales and the Netherlands next month.

Slonina was born and raised in the United States and has represented his birth country at the youth level. He’s also been called into two senior camps and is considered an outside bet to make the World Cup squad as the team’s third-string keeper.

But the teenager is also eligible for Poland, which has been putting on a full-court press to try and temp him away. Last month, Poland national team manager Czeslaw Michniewicz met with Slonina and was quoted as saying the goalkeeper is “very interested in playing for our squad,” and that it was “heading in the right direction for us.”

Would Slonina be tied to Poland if he plays?

Slonina could theoretically be tied to Poland for the rest of his career during the upcoming international window – but only if he appears in all four matches.

FIFA rules allows players to switch countries if they have played no more than three competitive matches at senior level prior to them turning 21.

While it appears unlikely Slonina will be tied to Poland after the upcoming window, there would theoretically be at least one advantage for the goalkeeper if he chooses the European nation. Slonina is widely expected to move to a European club in the near future, and playing for a national team in Europe would dramatically reduce his required travel.

Like the USMNT, Poland qualified for the 2022 World Cup and is in a group with Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

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