Nuno Piteira doesn’t mince words when describing his talented attacking player Dominic Bonilla.

“I left the professional game in 2000 and have been in the youth game. I think he’s what we have been talking about for 20 years in terms of what American soccer needs and is searching for. He’s a creative attacking player with the flair you just don’t see in American soccer,” Piteira, coach of Bonilla’s GSA Phoenix U16 Boys squad, said. “I can count on one hand since 2000 the players on the youth level who have that kind of flair and creativity on the ball.”

Bonilla recently helped the Atlanta-area team qualify for the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships via a runner-up finish in the organization’s national league. Before that, he was in Argentina with South Carolina coach Mark Berson’s Region III ODP ‘93s, playing alongside such players as Walker Zimmerman, Darvin Ebanks, Kevin Pahl, Jon Ray and Erick Suarez. Bonilla, who opened the event with a pair of goals against Argentine side Rosario, said playing against youth professionals overseas was a big help to his development.

“The games were good. They were hard and fast and you were playing against competition you didn’t know,” he said. “I’d like to do more of that.”

By more of that he means playing overseas on a permanent basis. Bonilla is looking at some colleges, but is also keenly interested in overseas professional options.

“I really want to play overseas. My number one goal is to try and get over there,” he said. “There are a couple of schools I’m interested in though. A lot of colleges I’ve seen are just boomball, but some play possession soccer pretty well and I’m interested in them.”

Piteira sees an ambitious future for the player.

“I don’t want to make remarks to put pressure on the young man, but I will be disappointed if doesn’t at least, and I say this with utmost respect, end up playing in MLS,” he said. “He should be looking beyond college, with all respect to the college game. Wherever he ends up, he’s just an honest player. For all his individual skill, he understands the team concept and he’s very versatile.”

Bonilla said he think is becoming more rounded.

“I’m starting to become more of a complete player,” he said. “Coach Berson is teaching me to work more on the defensive side of the ball too, to make sure I’m not lazy defensively. I want to be an all-around player.”

Bonilla adds that cynical tactics used against him can sometimes be discouraging.

“Sometimes it’s hard, because some teams are just based on defending with everybody. But every team has moments where they start passing the ball and that’s when the players can start to shine. (Nuno) likes for his teams to take a lot of touches, and the regional team passes the ball pretty well so I’m lucky.”

Bonilla identifies Barcelona and Argentina great Lionel Messi as his role model in soccer.

“He’s not the fastest guy over a long stretch but he’s so quick and creative. He’s the one I want to be like the most.”