Many pundits thought Jonathan de Guzman could have been the cornerstone of the Canadian national team for the next 10 years. (Robert Vos/AFP/Getty Images)

Jonathan de Guzman has the soccer world at his feet.

An exciting midfielder who possesses a dazzling array of skills, the 20-year-old native of Scarborough, Ont., has been touted as one of the hottest young prospects in the game ever since making his pro debut for Rotterdam club Feyenoord in the Dutch first division shortly after his 18th birthday.

Such is de Guzman's potential that Feyenoord last year signed him to a contract extension through 2010 — believed to be a pre-emptive strike against English Premiership giants Chelsea who were reportedly interested in him — and many believed he could have been the cornerstone of the Canadian national team for years to come.

But last week, de Guzman broke the hearts of long-suffering Canadian soccer fans when he officially acquired Dutch citizenship and told the CBC he would not represent Canada, but instead was committing to play for the Netherlands in international competition.

In his first interview with a Canadian media outlet since officially becoming a Dutch citizen, de Guzman told CBCSports.ca that he decided to represent the Netherlands because that country "has played a big role in my development as a player."

"I had a lot of time to think about this. I've been playing in Holland since I was 12 years old. I moved here for a certain reason, and the reason was to become a professional soccer player and to make the best out of it. Holland is the place where I have learned my craft," de Guzman said.

Calling it the biggest decision of his soccer career, de Guzman said he consulted with his family back in Canada and his older brother Julian, a star midfielder with Spanish club Deportivo la Coruna and a veteran of the Canadian national team.

"My brother and my family played a big role in my decision-making," said de Guzman. "They didn't tell me which nation to pick. I found out on my own what would be better for me as a player. I have their 100 per cent support and that's really important to me.

"Julian said it would be great to play with me on the Canadian national team, but he told me I also have a chance to stand in line with some of the greatest players in the world if I decided to play for Holland. It was a big decision I had to make and he told me from Day 1 that I had his support, no matter what."

Calls of betrayal

While de Guzman undoubtedly has the complete backing of his family, many Canadian soccer fans have been less than supportive. After announcing his decision to play for the Netherlands, several Canadian soccer website message boards were flooded with irate postings from fans who took to calling him "Judas" and "a traitor."

De Guzman appreciates how they feel.

"Oh yeah, I totally understand where they're coming from. They're losing another Canadian player, just like with Owen Hargreaves.… For me, I just made a decision that I felt was right. Obviously some people are mad about it, but it's my decision and life does go on."

De Guzman added: "I don't feel like I'm betraying Canada, because Canada hasn't developed me or improved my soccer skills. I've improved my soccer skills in Holland. I've really learned to play under the Dutch system."

De Guzman's decision to "go Dutch" serves as a cruel blow to a Canadian national team that will soon begin the qualification process for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Many felt that Canada stood a much greater chance of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986 with de Guzman, to say nothing of the fact that a bright young star of his calibre could have helped to turn around an ailing national soccer program that lacks depth and is short of world-class players.

"I don't see how one player could turn an entire system around. It's a team sport. A lot of people were saying how I would change Canadian soccer, but it's a team sport, not an individual sport," de Guzman said.

A lot of upset fans believe the Feyenoord star snubbed Canada because he felt he has a much better chance of playing in the World Cup with the Netherlands, and that the well-documented chaos within the Canadian Soccer Association over the past several years discouraged him from playing for Canada.

De Guzman made his debut for Feyenoord when he was 18. (Ed Oudenaarden/AFP/Getty Images)

He concedes the first point — "it would be easier to get to the World Cup with Holland than Canada," de Guzman said — but he insists the disorganized state of the CSA had no bearing on his decision.

"I haven't had any contact with the CSA. I'm happy they gave me the time to think, and they weren't really on my back about playing for the Canadian national team. I knew they were interested in me, and they made it clear that I would be a key player for the Canadian national team."

De Guzman also refutes the claims of angry Canadian fans that he lied to Rogers Sportsnet — in an interview that was taped about a week before he acquired his Dutch citizenship — when he told the Canadian cable sports network that he hadn't made up his mind over his international status and that he was focusing on his club career.

"I don't feel I was dishonest about it. At that point, I still hadn't made my decision. When I got my passport, I felt that it was the right time to make my decision," said de Guzman, before adding he could have received his Dutch passport as early as 2004 after he had lived in the Netherlands for five years.

Feels Dutch, but Canadian too

So why did it take him so long to decide which nation to commit his international future to?

"It was a very big decision. Canada or Holland — once I made the decision I had to stick with it. It was probably one of the biggest decisions of my life to make as a soccer player. I felt that if I really needed to make an informed decision, I needed the time to think about it and what my options were," de Guzman said.

"The Dutch passport has opened a lot of doors for me, not just in terms of playing for the national team.… I got the passport because I feel Dutch, and I feel that way because I've been living in Holland for eight years."

But does he also still feel Canadian?

"Yes, I do. Canada is where my family and friends are. Canada is another home for me, that's where I grew up and I still have a lot of contacts there."

Now that he's pledged his soccer allegiances to the Netherlands, de Guzman could be called up by national team manager Marco van Basten for this summer's European championship tournament, Euro 2008, to be staged in Austria and Switzerland.

There's also been talk the Canadian could play for the Netherlands at the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

"I haven't really given it any thought. I'm open to the idea," de Guzman said. "I'm not thinking about going to Euro or Beijing right now, I'm just concentrating on my club form for Feyenoord."

Last week, Canadian national team coach Dale Mitchell told CBCSports.ca that "it's not over until he puts the jersey on and plays for Holland," and that he was holding out hope that de Guzman would one day wear the red and white jersey of Canada.

But the young midfielder insists he is committed to playing for the Netherlands.

"I had a very long time to think about this, and I came to a point where I just had to make my choice, and that decision has been made and I don't see myself going back on it," de Guzman said.