US native Efrain Morales on cusp of 2026 FIFA World Cup with play-off-bound Bolivia – amNewYork

Tackle the city, with our help.
Manage your settings.
Tackle the city, with our help.
Manage your settings.
Efrain Morales stood in his own penalty area, hands on his head in disbelief, on a September night at Estadio Municipal El Alto in the heart of Bolivia. 
The 22-year-old center-back, born and raised in Georgia, had just helped his Bolivian national team pull off one of the more notable upsets in recent South American soccer history by blanking Brazil — the fifth-ranked club in the world and the most successful nation in the history of the World Cup — 1-0 to earn a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off. 
“Honestly, it’s hard to put into words,” Morales told amNewYork while recounting that famous night in Bolivia. “There was so much going on. It’s one of those things that you look back at and appreciate it more than when you’re in the moment. Everything was so crazy in the moment; there was so much going on. I was able to appreciate it, of course, but there was so much in the moment that you don’t even necessarily realize how much it means.”
What it meant was that they were placed in the semifinal of Pathway 2 within FIFA’s intercontinental playoff against Suriname on March 26 in Guadalupe, Mexico. A would give them the chance to face Iraq five days later and punch their ticket to the World Cup this summer in the United States. 
Bolivia is far from being considered a powerhouse in South America, whether in terms of socioeconomics or athletics. Among the continent’s 34 nations, Bolivia’s gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity in 2025 ranks 30th, according to the International Monetary Fund.
On the international soccer stage, the country has competed in just three World Cups, the last in 1994, which also happened to be hosted by the US. 
“It would mean a lot to me, genuinely. That’s every footballer’s dream to play in the World Cup. But honestly, at this point, it would mean more to the country. Bolivia is not necessarily the pinnacle of South America or economically the best, so I think something like that could really, really help the economy, help the morale. So it would be amazing if I could help do that for them.”
Morales’ journey to the national team is not the most traditional. Having been born in Georgia to a Bolivian father and Puerto Rican mother, he came through the Atlanta United ranks, making just nine appearances with the senior team during his six years with the club. 
But he did not get the call from Bolivia until 2023, when the team was tipped off by a friend of Morales’ father. He made his debut as a member of the U-20 team in 2023, making six appearances.
“I’m not necessarily even sure they were aware that I had that Bolivian nationality,” Morales admitted.
Within a year, he was thrust into the senior national team, appearing in eight of the country’s 18 South American qualifying matches for the World Cup. The top six teams automatically earned a berth to this summer’s tournament, while Bolivia’s win over Brazil clinched seventh place and a spot in the play-off. 
“The culture in South America is completely different,” Morales said. “It really is a lifestyle. As a lot of people say, it’s life or death. It’s a lot of individual and individualism, a lot of passion, and it’s a completely different game, which was really good for me to be able to experience that for the first time.”
While cutting his teeth with his national squad, a move within MLS came, as well. Morales was dealt last summer to CF Montreal.
“I’ve grown up and lived my whole life in Georgia, so this is really my first time really moving away from home,” Morales said. “It’s definitely interesting. I was excited for it and motivated to do it, but I will say settling in hasn’t been the easiest. Naturally, in this sport, there is a lot of traveling, so I haven’t really found a place to call home yet and bouncing around, but it’s been good.”
Perhaps the most important aspect of the move was that he secured consistent first-team playing time. Entering Sunday’s matchup against Red Bull New York, he started and played the full 90 minutes of each of his squad’s first two MLS matches of the season as he continues to develop into a foundational back-line piece.
“It’s huge, especially for my position,” Morales said. “You need to have a lot of experience if you want to get anywhere, and I think I have that opportunity to do that in a very good league at a high level. It will bring me a lot of value over time. This was definitely what I needed.”
Joe Pantorno has been the executive sports editor of amNewYork since 2020. He covers the New York Mets and is a member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). He is also a member of the Pro Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA) and has covered the New York Islanders for nearly a decade. His previous stops include Bleacher Report and Metro New York, while his work has been featured in the New York Post, Newsday, and Yahoo! Sports.
Post an Event
View All Events…
Find a pro

source