FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Andrew Farrell dreams of one day playing soccer on the international stage, but which country he’ll represent if that dream becomes reality remains to be seen.
According to a report from Depor.pe, the 23-year-old New England Revolution defender has attracted attention from Peru national team coach Ricardo Gareca. The report states that Gareca hopes to meet with Farrell next month during a trip to the U.S. for the 2016 Copa America draw.
Farrell, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended the University of Louisville, spent 10 years of his childhood in Peru from ages five to 15 while his parents worked as missionaries.
Asked about the possibility of representing Peru internationally, Farrell admitted to being flattered by the reports, but said his focus is currently on the Revolution’s 2016 preseason preparations, which kicked off on Saturday morning in Foxborough.
“It’s a huge goal of mine to play at the international level, so just hearing those rumblings on the internet is pretty exciting. That, in general, is huge for me,” said Farrell. “I’m just going to keep using that as motivation and keep pushing myself to be a better player on the field for the Revs.”
Should the report prove accurate, Farrell could have a decision to make. Although he’s never been called into U.S. National Team camp, there’s a sense that he could be on Jurgen Klinsmann’s radar if he continues to progress through his fourth season as a professional.
It’s a decision Farrell says he “hasn’t even thought about.”
Potentially complicating matters is Farrell’s eligibility for Peru – he’s not currently a Peruvian citizen, a hurdle that would have to be cleared before he could even consider representing la Blanquirroja.
In the meantime, Farrell is focusing all of his energy on the Revolution in the hopes that a continued commitment at the club level will one day lead to international soccer, wherever it may be.
“I’m really excited to get back here for preseason and get back after it,” Farrell said. “It’s really exciting to hear about that (national team attention), but I’m really focused on being here with the team and improving as a player, because I know I can get to that level, but I’ve got a lot of work to be there.”
