Junior Firpo opens up on 'tough' Leeds United summer decision as renewed international pride detailed
The Leeds United defender is back on international duty after an excellent start to the 2024/25 season.
Junior Firpo has opened up his unsuccessful attempts to represent the Dominican Republic at this summer’s Olympics, having been refused permission to leave Leeds United during pre-season.
Firpo was initially named as one of three senior Dominican Republic squad members and expected to join up with his international teammates in Paris, but Leeds opted against allowing their defender to leave with summer preparations for the 2024/25 season underway. Clubs were under no obligation to release players for the Olympics, given it falls outside of FIFA’s calendar.
Club, country and player discussed the situation openly before Leeds eventually made their decision, with Firpo remaining in Germany for pre-season before continuing preparations under Daniel Farke. But back on international duty this fortnight, the 28-year-old admits it was tough to take at the time.
"It was tough,” Firpo told reporters of his Olympics absence, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo. “I tried until the last day but they (Leeds) told me since I was an important player, one of the leaders and captains, they needed me at the start of the pre-season because the clubs close their businesses in pre-season and I was one of the keys.
“I was telling them that for me it was going to be something unique but it didn't work out. I have never seen my family so happy since I joined the Dominican Republic, and for me there is no greater pride than having my family see that in you and be proud of me."
Firpo has enjoyed an excellent start to the new season and could stake a claim to be Leeds’ best player so far, enjoying even more attacking freedom and producing an excellent assist for Joel Piroe during the 2-0 win over Hull City just over one week ago. But never has the left-back been handed freedom like he experienced over the weekend, starting upfront in a 3-2 win over Bermuda.
That game kicked off in Antigua and Barbuda at 11am local time, with Firpo openly critical of CONCACAF’s decision at the time, insisting it was ‘not healthy’ to play in such temperatures. And the Whites man echoed that sentiment again, ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with Dominica.
"We had a meeting with CONCACAF and I told them that I think it's a shame that we have to play at eleven in the morning, which is probably when it's hottest during the day,” he added. “If there's no light at night, maybe we should have played somewhere else.”