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Coming off his fourth professional season, Marlon Vargas caught the eye of El Salvador head coach Hugo Pérez. As Pérez attempts to build the future of his rebuilding team there are two friendlies scheduled in December.
#ModoSelectaON | | Los convocados por el profesor #HugoPérez para los juegos #AmitososInternacionales del mes de diciembre.
— La Selecta (@LaSelecta_SLV) November 27, 2021
¡Los jugadores se presentan el domingo 28 de noviembre en el hotel villa selecta!#ElSalvador | #SelectaMayor pic.twitter.com/uAQChnFbIF
This is Tacoma’s second call to a full national team. Alec Diaz now has five caps with Puerto Rico, including two in World Cup Qualifying. Perez, a former teammate of Brian Schmetzer, has now called in three players with ties to the Sounders organization.
Marlon signed with Tacoma back in 2018. Since then he’s become a player impossible to keep out of the matchday roster, missing a role as a starter or the bench only 3 times n the last three seasons. He has four goals and seven assists in pro play, including a hattrick of assists as a withdrawn forward in a 3-2 win over LA Galaxy II. Most of his play has been as a ball possession winger.
El Salvador’s December friendlies will be tough tests against Ecuador (Dec. 4) and Chile (Dec. 11). Their World Cup Qualifying campaign is struggling, winning just once and they sit 7th out of 8 in the final stage of qualifying. Their most frequent captain is Seattle Sounders right wingback Alex Roldan.
La Selecta’s next match World Cup qualifier is Jan. 27 against the United States in Columbus.