WTOP celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month this Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, with stories spotlighting the contributions, culture and accomplishments of Hispanic communities across the D.C. region.
This video is no longer available.
On a dark, quiet evening in Panama City, Aaron Herrera was relaxing with his teammates of the Guatemala men’s soccer national team by playing cards before resting for a World Cup qualifying match.
Suddenly, a large truck pulled up next to the team’s hotel, blaring loud music into their bedrooms. After several minutes, hotel staff removed the truck from the property. As Herrera and his teammates attempted to laugh about the situation, multiple fireworks exploded outside their windows.
“I think it shows how passionate the fans are, and the lengths they’re willing to go to help their team out,” Herrera said. “I respect it. It’s something that shows how passionate these fans are in these countries.”
The tactic — known in Latin American nations as a way to keep opposing players from resting before game day — was something Herrera had mentally prepared for before joining Guatemala. The D.C. United right back started his career representing the United States before being persuaded to switch allegiances to play for Los Chapines.
Now, the 28-year-old is part of a revitalized Guatemalan side looking to qualify for its first-ever World Cup.
Making the switch
Born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, by a Guatemalan father and an American mother, Herrera became a U.S. prospect early. Before playing three seasons with the University of New Mexico, he played on multiple U.S. national youth teams and was a part of the Real Salt Lake Youth Academy.
“Growing up, the dream was always a play for the U.S.,” Herrera said. “They were the team that was here. They were the team that I watched all the time.”
Once he turned pro, he continued to receive call-ups from the U.S., including being named to the 2021 Olympic qualifying team for the Tokyo Games.
However, after making only one appearance on the senior team in 2021 and the growing depth chart at his position, Herrera began examining his international career. A possible option was appealing to FIFA, soccer’s governing body, to make a one-time switch of allegiance to representing Guatemala.
“I didn’t think too far into it, because I didn’t know that it was a real possibility,” Herrera said.
The push grew as Herrera’s then-Salt Lake teammate Rubio Rubin pressured the defender to fill out the paperwork to join Guatemala. Rubin, who also played in the U.S. youth system, had also elected to make the switch to join the Central American side.
“(Rubin) would bug me every day before training and stuff, being like, ‘Hey, when you going to come play for Guate? We’re waiting for you,'” Herrera said, admitting that Rubin helped with submitting the paperwork.
Yet, concerns remained. While Herrera grew up with a Spanish-speaking father, his Spanish was, admittedly, “not very good.”
Guatemalan officials still persisted, with coaches and Rubin assuring him that he would fit in perfectly.
It would take one more year before Herrera completed the process and joined Los Chapines.
“Everyone over there is really nice,” he said. “They welcomed me with open arms from Day One.”
Guatemala-American balance
Since making his debut on July 15, 2023, Herrera has made 18 appearances for Guatemala, becoming a focal point in its attack as a wing player.
Over the summer, Herrera and his teammates led Guatemala to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament after an upset victory over Canada. During that match, he shined with a diving header save in the first half and scoring his penalty kick in the shootout, earning the nickname “El MVP guatemalteco” by the TURN commentary team.
His status as an American-born player within the Guatemalan national team places extra responsibility to perform in high-pressure moments like the Gold Cup. Herrera said he embraces it, understanding that his American identity will go wherever he goes.
He said the switch helped him grow up and embrace all of his roots.
When he’s in Guatemala, he enjoys eating the local cuisine and spending time with his family. However, he still carries some of his American flair with him.
Herrera admits that he’s working on his “broken Spanish” while his teammates join him in speaking English. During workouts, he plays country or rap music, surprising his entire team’s delegation.
“It’s special being able to blend the two,” Herrera said. “It’s a lot of fun being able to sort of embrace both cultures, both ways.”
Personal growth
The switch allows Herrera to make trips to Guatemala more frequently, even if it is for soccer-related reasons. Before that, he had last visited the country when he was 6 years old. Family members travel from a neighborhood in Guatemala City to watch him play.
His father, Diego Herrera, thinks “it’s the best thing ever” that his son is on the Guatemalan national team, Aaron Herrera said. Diego arrived to the U.S. at 15 years old, so he did not have the chance to become a professional soccer player.
Now, Diego travels to all over North America and the Caribbean with his mother, Aaron’s grandmother, to watch his son play.
“For him, he’s able to sort of live his dream through me a little bit,” Aaron Herrera said. “All the fans know who he is. … He’s got this big bald head that everyone can spot from a mile away, and so he’s taking pictures with all the fans.”
When he is back in D.C., Herrera said he meets a Guatemala fan “at least once a day.” His wife Lily helps “shell-shocked” fans take their photo with her husband.
Once, a group of construction workers near his home in D.C. pulled over their truck to meet Herrera and thank him for joining Guatemala.
For Herrera, representing Guatemala is “very special to me.”
Now, all of his focus shifts toward helping Guatemala qualify for the 2026 World Cup. While it is a personal goal to play in the tournament, helping Guatemala qualify would be “the biggest thing that I could possibly achieve in my career,” Herrera said.
“I’ve grown a ton as a player, as a teammate, as a friend, and just overall as a person,” Herrera said. “I think it’s a big credit to Guatemala and them welcoming me there.”
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
