Sporting KC's Dwyer nabs U.S. citizenship

Sporting Kansas City's Dom Dwyer is one step closer to fulfilling a dream of playing international football, with the England-born forward receiving his U.S. citizenship Thursday.

Dwyer, 26, took the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony in Missouri Thursday, with the club adding on its website that he has held a green card since 2012 after moving to the U.S. for college in 2009.

"I am extremely happy to have completed the process of becoming a U.S. citizen," Dwyer said after the ceremony at the Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse in Kansas City.

"This country has given me a lot over the past five years, and I look forward to giving back as much as possible. I want to thank everyone who has supported me on this journey, most importantly my family and my club. This was a very meaningful day for me, and I'm excited to start the next chapter of my life as a U.S. citizen."

Second all time on Sporting's scoring ranks, Dwyer joined the club through the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, and has since bagged 61 goals in all competitions. Naturally, those displays have fueled speculation linking Dwyer with a USMNT call-up.

Considering comments Dwyer made in January, he certainly sounds compelled by the idea.

"I think any footballer, you want to play on the international stage. That's the biggest there is. To play for your country would be amazing," Dwyer said. "I've lived here for about nine years now in the U.S. I wasn't born here but this is, if not my second home, my home. This country has given me a lot. If I have the opportunity to give something back, I would jump at it."

There's certainly an argument for Dywer, who has never played internationally for England, to get a shot with Bruce Arena's senior side.

Since the start of the 2014 MLS campaign, Dwyer's half-century of regular-season goals is second-best in the league, including 16 tallies last year in guiding the club to a sixth consecutive playoff spot. In his fifth term with the club, Dwyer has played no fewer than 21 matches, starting 99 of the 115 fixtures he's appeared in.