New Zealand winger Boyd switches allegiances to USMNT

New Zealand youth international Tyler Boyd has completed a one-time switch enabling him to represent the United States, U.S. Soccer has announced.

Boyd was born in New Zealand but spent much of his youth in California, before returning to his birth country at age 10.

The winger has dual citizenship to New Zealand and the United States, but having represented the All Whites on the youth international levels in official competitions, required a change of association in order to play for the USMNT.

Boyd had also featured for the senior New Zealand side, but only having played in six friendlies, was eligible for the switch.

With FIFA approving the request, Boyd is now only permitted to represent the USMNT internationally.

The 24-year-old has spent the second half of the 2018-19 on loan at Ankaragucu in the Turkish Super Lig, where he has fared well, scoring five goals and adding four assists in 13 games.

He had failed to register a goal or assist in the first half of the season with his parent club, Portuguese Liga side Vitoria Guimaraes, playing in 10 league games.

Boyd began his professional career with WaiBOP of the New Zealand Premiership before moving to Wellington Phoenix of the A-League in Australia.

After spending parts of three seasons with Wellington, he moved to Guimaraes, featuring for the club’s reserve side in the Portuguese second division.

Boyd scored 13 goals between two seasons for the reserve side, and got a chance in the top flight with Tondela in 2017-18, scoring five times and adding two assists in 27 games.

The winger joins a USMNT pool that has a potential dearth of options at winger – a position that featured prominently for U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter during his time with the Columbus Crew.

He has featured on both the left and right while on loan in Turkey.

Berhalter has yet to name his roster for this summer’s Gold Cup, with the USMNT next in action June 5 against Jamaica in a pre-tournament friendly.

After another friendly against Venezuela on June 9, the USMNT will then begin the Gold Cup group stage against Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Panama.