Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles, boasting a capacity of 67,594.
This time last year, there were fewer than 9,000 spectators in the ground when Athlone Town’s German Fuentes made his international debut against Argentina. It may have been a friendly, but the World Cup winners wheeled out most of their big guns for the clash with El Salvador.
Angel Di Maria, Emi Martinez, Enzo Fernandez, Lautaro Martinez, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo De Paul were all among the starters. Alejandro Garnacho, Alexis MacAllister and Nicolas Otamendi came on as substitutes, while Julian Alvarez was left on the bench throughout the 3-0 win. That was the scoreline when centre-back Fuentes was handed his senior El Salvador bow with 13 minutes remaining.
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“Argentina didn't want to look down on us so they put out a strong team,” Fuentes told Mirror Sport, while reflecting on that career highlight. “Ireland has been very good to me with my career and it has opened up a lot of doors in every aspect, with games like that.”
Argentina players celebrate victory (Image: Getty Images)
Technically, it wasn’t the first time the 27-year-old defender donned the national shirt as he played in a game against Bonaire a few days before. He was unfortunate to be credited with an own goal, even if the blame rests entirely with his goalkeeper for allowing a routine backpass go under his foot and into the net. But there were no caps awarded for that clash at DC United’s Audi Field as Bonaire, the Caribbean island, is not a recognised FIFA member.
But how did this Salvadoran end up playing League of Ireland First Division football for Athlone Town?
“I was playing in an academy for one of the professional teams in El Salvador but I didn’t make my professional debut as I moved to America when I was 18,” he said. “It would have been a big jump to just move on my own as the language was a huge issue, but my mom was already living in America with my sister. We speak Spanish at home in El Salvador and English hasn't really been introduced in our society, so I had to start at the beginning and learn English once I got to America.”
Athlone’s German Fuentes-Rodriquez (right) and Dylan Hand celebrate a goal in last season's First Division playoff final against Bray Wanderers
Athlone’s German Fuentes-Rodriquez (right) and Dylan Hand celebrate a goal in last season's First Division playoff final against Bray Wanderers (Image: ©INPHO/James Lawlor)
Fuentes continued: “I went to college in Boston and was doing some English courses when I started to play football over there. There were a lot of nationalities in the locker room, but I told my team-mates who spoke Spanish not to speak Spanish to me. I wanted to force myself to speak English and learn it as quickly as I could. But it was still a huge change for an 18-year-old, moving away like that. It wasn't easy and was pretty difficult at times.”
Fuentes said: “I remember calling my dad as he was still back home in El Salvador and telling him I wanted to come home. I had a routine in El Salvador, I had a life there and I had friends and family. In America, I was in a new world where I didn't know what was expected of me but I stuck at it and I made it in the end. Once I found out that, through football, there were opportunities that could open up for me, I knew I had to do what I had to do. That's what made me stay.”
Fuentes spent six seasons in total in college football and had two years with New England Revolution’s Under-23s. A friend had a contact at Valeo Futbol Partnership, a Boston-based football group who had been working with Athlone Town. A number of overseas players moved to the midlands club and Fuentes got a call to see if he would be interested in a trial.
Three years later, he’s still here and said: “I didn't know anything about Ireland before I came here, other than it rained a lot. I didn't know anything about the league system, but I came over and people have been very welcoming and now it’s like a home from home.”
He lives in Athlone during the League of Ireland season, but Boston is where he calls home these days.
Athlone Town's winter recruitment has certainly been eye-catching, with a number of Premier Division-standard players making the switch to the First Division. That said, Athlone - second from bottom - have made a slow start with no wins in their first three games, with a 5-0 home drubbing by Treaty United thrown into the mix.
Fuentes said: “The main reason I came back was because it feels like we’ve unfinished business after losing to Bray in the playoff final last season. I want to see what happens with a new team. I want to see if we can get revenge for that final. I knew at the end of last season that I was coming back, so I didn't even look at any other options. I was frustrated as I felt like we could have gone further last year but football can be cruel sometimes. I felt the urge to come back and here I am.”
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