List of Cuban football players who have defected to the United States


Since 1970, 56 Cuban football players have defected to the United States in an attempt to further their professional career or improve their standard of living.
Under the old wet feet, dry feet policy in the U.S., any Cuban player who set foot in the country was entitled to become a U.S. resident. Maykel Galindo, one of the earlier defectors told of the incentives to leave Cuba: "They leave Cuba because they want to make something out of their lives. They are in search of the dream of playing football at a professional level and they know that Cuba will not offer them that. They do it because they feel that their family will be proud of them if they make it to the professional level and many of those players have realized that they can achieve that goal. Thankfully, in my case, doors were being opened to me." The wet feet, dry feet policy ended in January 2017.
As a general rule, Cuban players who defect are not allowed to rejoin the Cuba national team for international matches. Players who defect are generally ineligible to play for the United States team, as FIFA eligibility rules only allow a player to play for one national team during his career.

List

1970

Rafael Argüelles defected to the U.S. during the 1970 Central American and Caribbean Games football tournament held in Panama. Following illness and an expected early leave, he instead took the opportunity to seek asylum at the Nicaraguan embassy and through there, went for Miami.

1999

Rodney Valdes defected to the U.S. during the 1999 Pan-American Games football tournament in Winnipeg, Canada.
  • Rodney Valdes - Cuban U23 international

2002

Rey Ángel Martínez and Alberto Delgado defected during the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup. They told Cuba national football team minders that they were going to make a phone call in the hotel lobby but ran out of the hotel and traveled in a taxi to Martinez's uncle.

2005

Cuban international forward Maykel Galindo sought to stay in the U.S. after he had arrived in the country with the Cuba national team for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

2007

Inspired by Galindo, two players defected at the following Gold Cup, two years later.

2008

Several Cuban youth players defected in 2008 following an Olympic qualifier hosted in the U.S.

2010

Two players defected during a 2010 World Cup qualifier.

2011

Yosniel Mesa defected during the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup

2012

Yosmel de Armas defected in 2012 during Cuba's qualifying campaign for the 2012 Olympics.
  • Yosmel de Armas Cuban U23 international
Prior to a World Cup qualifying game against Canada in Toronto, four players and the team's psychologist Ignacio Abreu Sánchez defected to the U.S. Cuba were not able to name any substitutes due to the defections.
Two players defected during the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament which was hosted in Vancouver, Canada.

2015

Four players defected during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Another six defected during the 2015 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship:
One player defected during a personal visit:
One player defected having visited Mexico:

2018

Twelve players defected following the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship which was hosted in Bradenton, Florida.
Two players defected during the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship which was hosted in Edinburg, Texas.
  • Francis Riquelme

2019

Four players defected during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The following player defected after the match against Mexico
The following players defected after the match against Martinique

2023

Five players defected during the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The following players defected after the first group stage match against Guatemala:
The following player defected after the last group stage match against Canada: