FIFA has ruled that Arturo Alvarez is ineligible for El Salvador’s national team, thus ensuring the San Jose midfielder will stay part of the U.S. setup. At the same time, they also gave Aaron Maund the OK to switch from Trinidad & Tobago to the U.S. U-20s. Oh, boy, let the crying commence.

To be fair, FIFA did just follow the letter of the law. The 23-year-old Alvarez was born in the U.S. and represented the U.S. at a host of youth levels, but the midfielder _ who is of Salvadoran descent _ tried to switch after his 21st birthday, which is beyond FIFA’s mandated deadline. They refused.

Maund on the other hand _ who is just 18 and has dual citizenship _ played for Trindidad & Tobago at the U-17 World Cup. But now the Notre Dame freshman has gotten permission from FIFA to jump ship to the U.S. and is already on the team for U-20 World Cup qualifying, teammate of Red Bull academy product and Rutgers soph Dilly Duka.

*** In other news, the Houston Chronicle reports that boxing star and Dynamo part-owner Oscar De La Hoya is pushing to have the club sign a big-name Mexican star.

“We’d like to have a player with name recognition, a high-caliber Hispanic player, preferably Mexican,” De La Hoya said. “We’re working on that. I don’t know when we will be able to do that, but hopefully sooner rather than later.”

So what do you think? Was FIFA just doing their job? Should the U.S. have stepped aside for El Salvador? Glad to see one of these tug-of-wars finally go the U.S.’ way? And is the Golden Boy blowing smoke, or is really going to land a marquee Mexican? Talk to us…