Emilio Lara dreams of a Mexico call-up, but first wants to earn his place at América

Rafael Márquez has barely started his tenure in charge of the Mexican national team, and already players are dreaming of a spot on his roster. One of them is Emilio Lara, the América defender, who makes no secret of his desire to wear the Tri jersey, though he's clear that it has to be earned through work, not just wishful thinking.

"I have to earn that privilege of wearing the Tri jersey. The moment will come. El Kaiser and his coaching staff will make that call, it's not up to me, but yes, I am chasing it," said the América fullback.

The FIFA international break happened to line up right when several América players are either injured or away with their national teams, opening the door for other names to step up. That's where Sunday's match against Necaxa comes in, a rival Lara knows inside and out since he wore that jersey before returning to Coapa. For him, Sunday's game is a showcase, though he'd rather not load it with extra pressure.

"I think my best approach is day by day, showing that I'm growing, that I'm adapting to the system of play. I don't feel like it's all riding on the weekend, yes it will be a test for me, but I'm taking it step by step to earn a spot in the starting eleven," the América man confirmed.

The value of coming home

After two seasons defending Necaxa's colors, Lara returned to América and quickly noticed the difference. It's not just about the comforts off the field, he says, but a different way of feeling supported within the club.

"I was at a great institution, maybe it doesn't have the comforts this club has, not just off the field but also inside it, but I think it comes down more to the player, maybe here they give you more comfort or there are more people paying closer attention than at the other institution," he explained.

His bond with Las Águilas goes back long before he turned pro. Emilio Lara joined the club at age 10, so this return carries an emotional weight that he doesn't hesitate to acknowledge.

Very happy, very happy to be back home, I joined the club at age 10, I was made here and I feel comfortable, I feel happy, I was at a great institution, but I learned to value how huge América is, that search for minutes, that experience did me a lot of good, it was two years away from home and now I'm more aware of where I stand.Emilio Lara

That stretch away from Coapa, far from feeling like a step backward, ended up being part of the process. Going out to look for minutes elsewhere gave him a different perspective on what it means to wear the América jersey, and now he's back with the idea of making the most of every chance, starting with this particular test against his former club.