For Atlanta Silverbacks midfielder Richie Menjivar, his breakout year continues to get better and better. Just four days after arriving in Atlanta to train with his new team, the 22-year-old midfielder was called up by the El Salvador national team for their friendly against Ecuador on March 21.
The American-born midfielder, who signed with the Silverbacks on Feb. 8, will fly from Atlanta to Quito, Ecuador, on March 19 to join his Salvadoran teammates. With five national team caps already to his name in 2013, Menjivar will look to put in another solid performance for an El Salvador side that finished third in the recent Copa Centroamericana – a tournament that determines CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification.
“We’re extremely proud that Richie was called up to play in a game of this magnitude – it speaks volumes about his abilities,” Silverbacks General Manager Andy Smith said. “Any time one of our players can go out and get international experience, it’s going to make our team better as a whole.”
Menjivar will return to the Silverbacks with plenty of time to spare before the club kicks off its 2013 NASL campaign on April 13 in Atlanta. The 5-foot-8 midfielder, who comes to the Silverbacks on loan from Salvadoran side Turín FC, has been in Atlanta since March 3. He could put on Silverbacks colors for the first time as early as Saturday when the club welcomes Georgia State University to Atlanta Silverbacks Park.
A former standout at Cal State Bakersfield, Menjivar has also spent time playing for Danish side Blokhus FC and Cal FC, the amateur club run by Silverbacks Technical Director Eric Wynalda.
The Silverbacks kick off the 2013 season against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.
This article was prepared by the team and edited for publication.