Ajax defender Dest chooses to play for US national team
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ajax defender Sergiño Dest has chosen to play international soccer for the United States.
The 18-year-old right back, who has a Surinamese-American father and Dutch mother, also could have chosen to play for the Netherlands, his country of birth.
Dest says “I have decided to keep playing for the U.S. men’s national team.”
In recent weeks, both Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman and U.S. counterpart Gregg Berhalter had spoken to Dest in an attempt to convince him to play for their respective national teams.
Dest signaled his intent by playing two friendlies for the United States last month against Mexico and Uruguay, but could still have opted to play for the Netherlands.
