July 2022 was an important month for Santiago Suarez.
On Jul. 23, the 6’5 center back made his professional debut for Sacramento Republic FC of the USL Championship, going 90 minutes in a scoreless draw with Phoenix Rising FC.
Soon after, he joined a U.S. U-19 National Team Camp where he encountered Jermaine Jones, who serves as an assistant coach.
“The first time I met him and shook his hand, I thanked him for everything he’s done for our nation,” Suarez told the media on Wednesday. “He’s really a player that we all look up towards because he was really that first kind of in to Europe and a big player.