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 That may change this week as the Bayern Munich 19-year-old
wunderkind enters the spotlight during the Bundesliga champion's
heavily promoted mini-tour of the United States that features a
meeting with Mexican club Chivas Guadalajara in New Jersey on
Thursday followed by an Aug. 6 game versus Major League Soccer
All-Stars in Portland, Oregon.
For a young man who has yet to earn a first team spot with
talent-packed Bayern and played only a handful of minutes for the
United States in Brazil at the World Cup, Green arrives in his
homeland burdened with great expectations having made an impression
on the people who matter most.
A sensational goal in a 2-1 last 16 loss to Belgium in Brazil
underscored Green's considerable skill and rewarded U.S. coach
Juergen Klinsmann for putting his faith in him.
More importantly, Green's play has made an impact on Bayern boss Pep
Guardiola, who says he expects the teenager to be with the big club
when the Bundesliga season begins.
 "He stays with us," Guardiola said in a recent conference call to
drum up interest in the tour that is being billed as the Audi
Football Summit. "I think he’s going to stay (the season) but we
have to see how is the market, if one player is back or what players
come in.
"We have time ... my first idea is that he’s going to stay for the
rest of the season."
Getting on the field for a pair of pre-season friendlies is one
thing but earning regular season minutes on a club that provided
much of the talent for Germany's World Cup-winning squad will be
another matter.
While Guardiola rates Green as a future star there are some who
believe Bayern would be better served by loaning out the young
American this season and allowing him to develop his gifts rather
than have him anchored to a star-studded bench as a little used
reserve.
"The most important thing right now is FC Bayern. I want to play for
Bayern and I don't think about a loan," Green said on Monday during
a conference call. "The (U.S.) national team the next game is in
September and I am looking for to that but right now it is just
Bayern.
"Right now I am coming for FC Bayern, that is my home club and that
is very special. I'm looking forward to play and show the people how
good FC Bayern is."
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With a squad loaded from front to back with celebrated names such as
Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mario Goetze and
Thomas Mueller much of the world is already keenly aware of Bayern's
quality.
What is of more interest is how good can Green, who came up through
Baryern's development system and played for club's second team last
season, become. Is he the star goal-scoring difference maker the Unites
States lacks?
Green, who was born in Tampa, Florida but raised in Germany since he
was two years old and has dual citizenship, displayed a lethal finishing
touch in Brazil scoring against Belgium on his first touch to become the
youngest American to score a goal at the World Cup.
"The goal was very special to me, it gave me a lot of confidence," said
Green, who also became the youngest scorer in the tournament since
Argentina's Lionel Messi with his strike.
"Right now I just want to play soccer again after three weeks off and I
am looking forward to play against my team mates from the national team.
"The World Cup was a great experience, at 19-years-old it is very
important to have these experiences.
"It's good for me but right now everything starts new."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Frank Pingue)
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