Last Sunday, Fire defender/midfielder Mauricio Pineda wrapped up his second stint in camp with the U.S. Men’s National Team. It was a fitting way for the 23-year-old to begin his sophomore season as a professional, having progressed a long way in a short time since signing his Homegrown contract last January.
Initially called into the Under-23 camp, Pineda was elevated to U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter’s senior squad ahead of their 7-0 defeat of Trinidad & Tobago at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium. While he did not receive his first senior international appearance in the win, 2021 will not be short on opportunities for the Bolingbrook native to prove his worth at the next level.