FIFA is moving towards relaxing the eligibility criteria for national teams. The world body should look into new measures that will allow a player who has already represented a country to change shirts. Under certain conditions, however.
According to the Associated Press, FIFA is in fact currently carrying out a reflection which could lead to the relaxation of the eligibility criteria for changing sports nationality. Should this reform see the light of day, a player could change country; even if he has already played in an official match with another, this will take place under certain conditions. The first, to have played less than 3 matches with his first selection; then, the player must be under 21 years of age when he was selected with this first selection. The other condition is not to have been called for selection for at least three years; finally, not to have played in the final phase of a World Cup or a continental tournament (Euro, CAN, etc.) with the selection in question.
FIFA Congress
This reform could be adopted at the next FIFA congress on September 18. It would be a huge plus for several players who have been the victims of an unanswered call with certain countries.
On the Moroccan side, we have already named this law in the name of the Spanish international Munir El Haddadi, the former Barça player. Become international with Spain at only 19 years old, in September 2014, he has since worn the shirt of La Roja for only 13 minutes and has not been summoned for years. He even took legal steps to free himself. The Andalusian has requested a waiver from FIFA to change his sporting nationality and be allowed to wear the colors of his parents’ country, Morocco. The governing body of the round ball refused this request in 2018, but the pressure and the logical side of the process combined with lobbying from the beneficiary parties pushed Infantino to reconsider the measure. On September 18, it will finally be before the 211 members of the body during the FIFA congress which should validate it.
FAF and Benzema
Remember that the FAF was invited to attend this event by videoconference through Circular No. 1720 of August 18, 2020. In principle, as far as possible, the votes should take place before the Congress. However, a technical solution will be put in place to allow voting during the Congress if it becomes necessary, announced the FAF on its website. FIFA has therefore prepared the ground for this consultation which will revolutionize the world of football; enough to give hope to El Haddadi and other binationals in his situation. On the Algerian side, few elements will be able to benefit from this measure. For the moment, we all remember the case of Camel Meriem who was selected with the Blues 3 times before being abandoned. He had passed a great career because of a bad choice. This is what the Moroccan El Haddadi seems to want to avoid. However, in the future, many players may turn back and change their mind. But the federations of the teams for which they will opt at the start will do everything to adapt to this new situation. It suffices, in fact, that they line up a player for more than 3 matches to bar him permanently. Note that given the conditions that will be imposed, an element like the Madrilenian Karim Benzema will not be able to aspire to his dream of wearing the national jersey. The file of the former Blues player is definitely folded.
- M. A.
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