Player

Delamea receives green card, no longer occupies an international roster spot

Antonio Delamea training in Foxborough

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Antonio Delamea has received his green card and will no longer occupy an international spot on the New England Revolution’s roster.


Now that Delamea is classified as a domestic player, New England have five internationals on their active roster (Claude Dielna, Krisztián Németh, Cristian Penilla, Gabriel Somi and Wilfried Zahibo), leaving two available international spots. Each team is initially provided eight international roster spots, but Columbus Crew SC hold one of the Revs’ international spots through 2018.


Delamea missed approximately one week of the Revolution’s preseason stay in Bradenton, Fla., while in Slovenia completing the necessary paperwork, but he has rejoined the Revs in Foxborough ahead of their trip to Tucson, Ariz., on Sunday, green card in hand.


Head coach Brad Friedel admitted that Delamea might have a little catching up to do in the fitness department, but also noted that the 26-year-old center back was given a workout regimen by head of fitness Anton McElhone, and should be able to jump back into training relatively seamlessly.


“[Antonio] will have lost a little bit, but he also had a program when he went back to do his green card,” Friedel said. “[He] shouldn’t be too far behind, if at all.”