You will scarcely find a better name in Irish football than U19 international Cristiano Fitzgerald, and he has now secured a move to a major US college powerhouse.
20-year-old Fitzgerald was born in Singapore to a Limerick father, while his mother comes from France. He has represented Ireland at U19 level, winning two caps in 2019.
The youngster has played much of his young career in Portugal, having moved there with his family in 2017. He came up through the ranks at De Anza Force between two stints at Boavista during his youth career, and would ultimately sign his first professional contract with Primeira Liga side Boavista.
Ultimately, Fitzgerald would not make a competitive appearance for Boavista before departing for Estrela de Amadora, where he made a handful of appearances for the club's U23 side.
Recent reports from the United States appear to confirm that Fitzgerald will be bringing his talents across the Atlantic, with the Irish youngster set to sign for the college football side Maryland Terrapins.
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Irish youngster Cristiano Fitzgerald completes move to USA
US football reporter Max Schaeffer broke the news last week that Irish youngster Cristiano Fitzgerald would be joining the ranks at Maryland College's representative soccer team.
Head coach Sasho Cirovski announced the move, saying that he hoped to see Fitzgerald add some creativity to the Maryland Terrapins attack.
Breaking news on the Maryland men’s soccer front: Head Coach Sasho Cirovski just announced the team has added Irish international Cristiano Fitzgerald to the roster. Cirovski said he expects Fitzgerald to add some creativity on the wings. pic.twitter.com/IGVPvuRoiF
— Max Schaeffer (@MaxSchaeffer_) August 27, 2024
The Terrapins are among the more successful colleges in US soccer, having won the NCAA Division 1 title on four separate occasions, most recently in 2018.
Previous players include well-known US internationals Maurice Edu and Robbie Rogers, and Fitzgerald will hope that his move to the States can kickstart his push into the professional game.
Though eligible to line out for Singapore, the country of his birth, Cristiano Fitzgerald (yes, named after that Cristiano) has been adamant that he wants to represent Ireland at senior level.
He told Portuguese publication Mais Futebol in 2021 of his childhood summers in his father's native Limerick, and his appreciation for the GAA.
I have Ireland in my heart. My father is from there, he was a good player of hurling, a traditional Gaelic sport, and every summer I go to my grandparents' farm in Limerick, where I'm with my cousins.
Time will tell if the move to the USA will kick Cristiano Fitzgerald's career up a gear.
Irish football fans will certainly be wishing him the best.
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