Bundesliga team scouting Cincinnati FC striker
Cincinnati FC's Brandon Vazquez has long aspired to play in the best leagues in Europe. Now the 24-year-old striker may be one step closer to that goal.
Transfermarkt.com noted that Sky Germany reported this week that German club Borussia Mönchengladbach has opened talks with Vazquez and his management about a potential move to the Bundesliga.
The German league has been good for American players in recent years. Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna broke through in Europe with Dortmund, and U.S. defender Joe Scally made his European debut with Mönchengladbach.
Each of those players moved to Germany as a teen to further his development under expert tutelage.
Mönchengladbach's interest in older players such as Vazquez is a vote of confidence for MLS as a player development pipeline -- something that will make longtime fans of the league happy.
Vazquez has worked hard for this opportunity. He has interacted with top U.S. Men's National Team players since he was a child in Chula Vista, Calif., and trained with national team regulars such as Luca de la Torre.
But his call-up never came, and Vazquez toiled with the U.S. youth teams while his peers debuted for the senior team. He focused on being the best striker he could be for Atlanta, Nashville and Cincinnati in MLS, hoping that the USMNT would see his value.
"Last year I did everything possible in my control to give myself the best opportunity to get into the World Cup roster," he said via US Scocer.. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen that way. But you shake it off. You start again."
And did he ever. Vazquez finally earned his call-up to the national team in January and scored in his debut. The center forward role has long been a question for the USMNT, and Vazquez -- a dual citizen of Mexico and the U.S. -- could become the answer.
In the meantime, Vazquez is focused on helping Cincinnati make the MLS playoffs for the second year running.
"If I step onto the field and do my job there," he told U.S. Soccer, "the rest will come."
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