For example, is the Mexican team composed of born & bred Mexicans, regardless of which teams they play for during the regular season? Or is it composed of players for Mexican teams, regardless of where they’re from? Or can any team just hire mercenaries from wherever they choose?
They have to be citizens of the country they play for. A few years ago, German authorities naturalized Ghana-born (I think) Gerald Asamoah in order to allow the soccer association to let him play for the team.
WAG- You have to prove a link to citizenship.
BTW, The Irish are the best at ‘finding’ players who may be eligible to play for them.
(Anyone who owned an Irish wolfhound, or drank a pint of Guinness…etc…) BTW, Tony Cascarino played for Ireland for years thinking his mum was Irish, only to find out she was adopted and thus he had absloutely no links to Ireland at all.
The club team you play for is irrevelent.
Regulations for FIFA statutes, Chapter 8, Article 18:
[quote]
[ol][li]Any player who is a naturalised citizen of a country in virtue of that country’s laws shall be eligible to play for a national or representative team of that country.[/li]
[li]If a player has been included in a national or representative team of a country for which he is eligible to play pursuant to §1, he shall not be permitted to take part in an international match for another country. Accordingly, any player who is qualified to play for more than one national association (i.e. who has dual nationality) will be deemed to have committed himself to one association only when he plays his first international match in an official competition (at any level) for that association.[/li]
[li]The only players exempt from this provision are those whose nationality has been changed not voluntarily but as the result of an international decree either granting independence to a region or ceding part of one country to another.[/ol][/li][/quote]
In the UK there’s a ‘grandparent’ rule that allows players to play for other countries regardless of birthplace so long as one grandparent is from the country being represented.
Players can play for national sides regardless of their club side. National duty is over and above domestic club duty, not a replacement for it.
Examples in the current World Cup:
[ul][li]Emmanual Olisadebe, born in Nigeria and representing Poland.[/li][li]Alessandro Santos, born in Brazil and representing Japan.[/li][li]David Regis, born in Martinique and representing the USA.[/ul][/li][li]Carlos Llamosa, born in Colombia and representing the USA.[/list][/li](and there are others, too)
Oh, great coding attempt there.
There have been exceptions to the “first country chosen” rule. Alfredo di Stefano, for example, was capped by three countries ( though he never played in the World Cup).
The rule does lead to heartbreak though. Having the choice between two countries, Ryan Giggs chose to play for Wales because he wasn’t sure he’d make the England team! ( this was early in his career). Consequently his talent has never been seen on the greatest stage.
The above is a [i}slight* exaggeration. In the past Irish team scouts hunted the UK for players who qualified as Irish. Half the Irish team was composed of players born in the UK, and one or two qualified only through a grandparent.
However, it is not really strange. Ireland used to have a high emigration rate. When Irish couples moved to England, their children were born and raised there, and never lived in Ireland. However, they saw themselves as Irish, and although they could play for England many chose to play for the Irish team.
Some chose to be English. The most famous example was Kevin Keegan, the leading England player who later became manager. Keegan qualified to play for Ireland as well as for England, but chose the English team.
Ironically, we may see the reverse effect in future. With the Irish economic boom, many English people are emigrating to Ireland instead. We may see players with Irish accents playing for England.
The coding disease is catching. That was meant to be slight not [i}slight*.
I know it was an exaggeration… tongue fully in cheek there.
At least the Rep. have good players… .anyone from NI who is good enough buggers off to play from them !!
Thats why we never win anything…!!!
I’ll not hear a bad word about David Miskelly, mind!