BOCA RATON, Fla.—Fighting for a starting role is nothing new for United States left back Greg Garza.

The Tijuana player battled fellow American defender Edgar Castillo for minutes during the past few seasons, filling in when Castillo was with the national team or when he missed a few matches because of a facial fracture, so the 23-year-old was ready to fill the void when Castillo moved to Atlas in the summer.

“I think it’s really helped me getting pretty much every single game this season and also playing the cup as well and helping our team out,” he said Monday. “We haven’t had the greatest of seasons, but I think for me it’s gone fairly well just getting the opportunity and chance to play and I think that it’s really gotten me the opportunity to be here as well.”

And while Castillo’s Atlas is the surprise package of Liga MX and Tijuana is struggling, Garza benefitted from the consistency. He believes the regular playing time helped him get in with the U.S. senior team: “I think it all worked itself out in the end. It was a patience game the past two and a half years going in and out of the lineup and doing well when I had my chances, but this year I actually played my part as the starting guy and I think it’s luckily paid off.”

While his first senior call-up came just a month ago, Garza represented the U.S. on all youth levels. However, it has been a long path. While the Texan is just 23, he has lived in Brazil when in Sao Paulo’s youth system, Portugal when he was in Sporting’s set up, and also played a handful of matches for Estoril Praia, and now Mexico where he suits up for Xolos.

He credits the influence of older players, such as World Cup veterans Helder Postiga and Anderson Polga, for teaching him how to train and adding technical wrinkles to his skill set. Those players also showed Garza the importance of consistency, something he is attempting to find both with Xolos and with the United States.

“These are guys who are 32, 33, 34, 35 years old that have been game in and game out every single week for the past 10 to 15 years,” he said. “It’s something that you’re going to kind of just pick up off everyone. I think we definitely have guys here (with the U.S.) as well that you can do exactly the same thing. I’m just really pleased and blessed to be here.”

Jon Arnold is an ASN contributing editor and host of the ASN Podcast. Follow him on Twitter.