Banks Declines Invitation…

FC Augsburg defender Noahkai Banks will not join the U.S. men’s national team for the upcoming international window and is still undecided about whether to represent Germany or the United States at the international level, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

According to German outlet Kicker, Banks has opted out of participating in the USMNT camp. The U.S. team is scheduled to face Belgium on March 28, followed by a second match against Portugal three days later.

“Noahkai hasn’t made a decision yet and wants to choose wisely for himself and his career; he is still undecided,” said a source familiar with Banks’ situation.

After making his debut last season, Banks, 19, has had a breakout year with Augsburg, featuring in 21 matches and scoring one goal.

The young defender holds dual citizenship in Germany and the U.S., with an American father and a German mother.

Born in Hawaii, Banks moved to Germany when he was just seven weeks old. His parents later divorced, but he remained connected to his father, Sedrick, and has lived in Germany ever since, joining Augsburg’s youth ranks at the age of eight.

Banks played for the U.S. at youth level during the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup, and he attended a training camp with the USMNT last September, although he did not feature in friendly matches against South Korea and Japan.

With the World Cup approaching in less than 100 days and his absence from this camp, it appears increasingly unlikely that Banks will be selected for the U.S. squad. Additionally, a source revealed that he has been coping with a foot injury which sidelined him during Augsburg’s 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

In a recent interview with ESPN, Banks reflected positively on his experiences with the U.S. program and mentioned he has kept in touch with several U-17 teammates. He expressed gratitude for the warm reception he received during the USMNT camp, saying, “I really enjoyed the camp. I was concerned about being treated differently as a young player, but the support I received was incredible, especially from established players like Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah.”

However, Banks also acknowledged that Germany has been reaching out to him, putting him in a tough position as he navigates which country to commit to at the senior level. He has previously stated that he would take his time to make the decision and not rush based on a single tournament.

FIFA regulations permit Banks to submit a one-time switch if he ultimately chooses to play for Germany.