FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – On Tuesday night, former Santa Clara men's soccer player Juan O'Neill wore the captain's armband for the Puerto Rican national team and faced the Lionel Messi-led reigning World Cup champion Argentina in an international friendly. 

Messi tallied two assists in Argentina's 6-0 win playing at his MLS team, Inter Miami's Chase Stadium, after the match was moved from Chicago by the match promoter. Alexis Mac Allister and Lautaro Martínez each scored a brace for the Albiceleste while Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the winning penalty kick in the shootout of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, had a goal also.  

O'Neill played two seasons at Santa Clara during the 2020 (played in the spring of 2021) and 2021 seasons.  In 2021, the Guaynabo, Puerto Rico native was named All-West Coast Conference Honorable Mention when he logged 1,383 minutes starting in 17 of 18 matches.  He had three assists to tie for third most on the team. 

While on the Mission Campus, O'Neill won the 2021 Henry Schmidt Award, an honor given to a Santa Clara male student-athlete who best demonstrated the qualities of attitude, character, desire, competitive spirit and the will to excel both on and off the field of play.

The match served as part of Argentina's preparations for the World Cup, which will be played next year from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.  

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