MEXICO CITY -- Even when he was playing for Mexico's national team, Edgar Castillo sensed he should be wearing the soccer jersey of the United States, the country of his birth. Despite perfect Spanish, his Mexican teammates playfully called him "El Gringo" -- a nickname that stuck.

Castillo has always stood out, starting at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, N.M., and he's still hard to miss. His darting moves on the ball belie the fact that he's a defender. And the striking tattoo on ...

Read more