 | ||
Since 1999, several football players have defected to the United States in an attempt to further their professional career or improve their standard of living.
Contents
Due to the Wet feet, dry feet policy in the United States, any Cuban player who sets foot in the United States is entitled to become a US resident. Maykel Galindo, one of the earlier defectors told of the incentives to leave Cuba: "They leave Cuba because they want to make something out of their lives. They are in search of the dream of playing football at a professional level and they know that Cuba will not offer them that. They do it because they feel that their family will be proud of them if they make it to the professional level and many of those players have realized that they can achieve that goal. Thankfully, in my case, doors were being opened to me."
As a general rule, Cuban players who defect are not allowed to rejoin the Cuban national team for international matches. Players who defect are generally ineligible to play for the United States team, as FIFA eligibility rules only allow a player to play for one national team during his career.
1999
Rodney Valdes defected to the United States during the 1999 Pan-American Games football tournament in Winnipeg, Canada.
2002
Rey Ángel Martínez and Alberto Delgado defected during the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup. They told Cuba national football team minders that they were going to make a phone call in the hotel lobby but ran out of the hotel and traveled in a taxi to Martinez's uncle.
2005
Cuban international forward Maykel Galindo sought to stay in the United States after he had arrived in the country with the Cuban national team for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
2007
Inspired by Galindo, two players defected at the following Gold Cup, two years later.
2008
Several Cuban youth players defected in 2008 following an Olympic qualifier hosted in the United States.
2010
Two players defected during a 2010 World Cup qualifier.
2011
Yosniel Mesa defected during the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2012
Yosmel de Armas defected in 2012 during Cuba's qualifying campaign for the 2012 Olympics.
Prior to a World Cup qualifying game against Canada in Toronto, four players and the team's psychologist Ignacio Abreu Sánchez defected to the United States. Cuba were not able to name any substitutes due to the defections.
2015
Four players defected during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Another six defected during the 2015 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship:
One player defected during a personal visit:
One player defected having visited Mexico: