'Gringo' in Chivas' midst

A source close to both Chivas de Guadalajara and Chivas USA of Major League Soccer, though, told SI.com that officials from both clubs were "very much aware that he was born and raised in Northern California."

Padilla played the final 13 minutes in Chivas' 2-0 win over Bolivian side San Jos� in Copa Libertadores play on Tuesday but has yet to play during the Clausura '08 season. He made his Mexican league debut for Chivas on Aug. 6, 2006, in a match at Toluca and has appeared in 11 regular-season games for Chivas since.

Domestically, Padilla has played almost exclusively for Chivas' second-division side, Tapat�o, and has scored two goals. He has also seen time for Chivas in the Copa Sudamericana and SuperLiga tournaments.

Two years ago, Padilla spent a portion of the preseason with Chivas USA. However, instead of being a part of former coach (and current U.S. national-team manager) Bob Bradley's squad, Padilla went back down to Mexico to the club he joined as a 14-year-old.

Padilla has long been tagged as a can't-miss prospect. His talents are unquestionable, said U.S. Under-20 national team coach Thomas Rongen

"He's potentially a very good player," Rongen said. "He's interesting -- he's got the Mexican technique, but he's got American upbringing. He's got a big frame for a Mexican player. He's a rare combination of skill with a lot of power. I think that eventually, somewhere ... [he] will play some significant time and contribute. He's still young."

Rongen tried unsuccessfully to recruit Padilla for the Under-20 national team last year, but he claimed Chivas officials pressured Padilla to decline the invite. De la Torre, though, said declining the invite was Padilla's choice.

Similar pressure may have led to the premature exit of the previous American-born player to suit up for Chivas. Some 10 years ago, Mascare�o was revealed to have been born in Silver Springs, Md. The fallout from the fans was swift, a former teammate recalled.

"We all thought he was 100 percent Mexican but I didn't know that, I believe, he was born here in the United States," said current Chivas USA captain and former Guadalajara icon Claudio Su�rez. "In Guadalajara, there is a great passion for the club and some bring up 'because they only play with Mexican players.' So there was the conflict with the fans who did not want Mascare�o to play there anymore."

Mascare�o debuted with Puebla in '91 and played for Atlante and Atlas before joining Chivas. While his American birth did little to affect his status in Mexican soccer -- he went on to play four more years in the first division -- it effectively signaled the end of his stint with Chivas