GENEVA (AP) — Almost everything. world cup The match-ups have stories of players who may represent different countries.
take Folarin Balogun Scored two goals in America’s first win against Paraguay. He chose to play in the United States, where he was born, rather than England, where he grew up, or Nigeria, where his parents are from.
Or Yassine Ayari, whose decision to choose Sweden over Tunisia, where her father is from, attracted attention. Sweden wins against North Africa Ayari’s two goals put the team at 5-1.
And there it is Ayyub BouadiThe 18-year-old standout changed his national team from France to Morocco a few weeks before the start of the tournament.
The World Cup, held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, is the biggest melting pot in the history of the tournament. The rosters of major European teams such as France, England and Germany reflect decades of migration. Meanwhile, many teams in Africa and the Caribbean rely heavily on the diaspora, made easier by FIFA’s relaxations. Qualification regulations.
This World Cup has dozens, if not hundreds, of players playing for countries other than their country of birth. Many people from different backgrounds have switched allegiances when they reach seniority, following their hearts, or ambitions.
Players from France are everywhere
Nearly 100 players at this World Cup were born in France, but only 23 of them will play for the French national team. Other French-born players with family ties around the world are a key part of the teams in Algeria, Cape Verde, Congo, Ghana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Tunisia.
Bouadi is one of the top performers. Morocco drew 1-1 with Brazil. Born in France, he grew up in top-flight league Lille. He played at youth level for France, most recently captaining France’s Under-21 team until March, before moving to Morocco, where his family is from, in time for the World Cup.
“I’m very proud of my decision and happy to be able to represent my home country of Morocco,” he said before the tournament. “My family is happy and we hope for great results in the upcoming competitions.”
According to Moroccan state television, the president of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fawzi Lekuja, personally visited Bouadi’s home and met with President Lille, outlining the North African kingdom’s football ambitions and the professional environment it offers.
MoroccoThe country, which became the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, relies heavily on its players from the diaspora in Spain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. There are 19 foreign-born players on the 26-man squad.
Defender Achraf Hakimi was born in Madrid, while Real Madrid forward Brahim Díaz played one game for Spain before his transfer to Morocco was processed by FIFA in 2024.
Complex choices for immigrant children
Some of the biggest names in soccer had to make a choice. Kylian Mbappe Due to his family background, he was eligible to play in Cameroon or Algeria, but chose France, where he was born and raised. spanish Lamine Yamal He could have played in Morocco, his father’s homeland.
Brothers Desiree and Guerra Due went their separate ways. Although both were born in France, Desiree played for France, while Guerra chose to play for Ivory Coast, where his father is from.
They aren’t the only brothers to end up on different World Cup teams. John Souter plays for Scotland and his younger brother Harry plays for Australia. Nico Williams and Iñaki Williams were born in Spain to Ghanaian parents, and while Nico chose to play for Spain, Iñaki chose Ghana.
Tunisia tried to call Ayali, a Swedish midfielder who plays for Brighton in the Premier League, into the national team because his father is from Tunisia. But her father, Azouz Ayari, pushed back. He told Swedish media that he felt his son should represent the country where he was born and raised.
“I am an immigrant, but my children are different. Yassin is a Swedish citizen with a Tunisian background,” Azouz Ayari told Aftonbladet newspaper. “I want him to play for Sweden because I want him to feel like he’s giving something back to a country that really cared for him.”
Swedish fans will have no objection to that decision. Ayali scored two goals in the opening match against Tunisia, but silenced his celebration Out of respect for his father’s homeland.
Balogun, a natural born citizen, chose America over Britain.
Balogun’s two goals in the 4-1 win over Paraguay made Balogun and his career even more widely known to the American public. He played for England at youth level, apart from a brief spell with the US Under-18s, before switching to the US national team in 2023.
That’s possible thanks to America’s birthright citizenship rules. Balogun was born in New York while his Nigerian parents were visiting the city.
Balogun said: The passion of US soccer fans Part of the reason he decided to represent the United States was an experience he had while visiting a training camp in Florida in March 2023. Once they found out he was in Florida, many fans encouraged him to play for the U.S. national team. He also met with officials from the U.S. team.
“I’ve always said that the fans have given me a lot of motivation and shown me a lot of support. The most important thing is always to be able to reciprocate that,” Balogun said after last week’s match against Paraguay. “I want to continue to show my fans that I made the right decision.”
It is unclear whether he will be able to make the highly competitive England squad. At the time, England manager Gareth Southgate said he was monitoring his progress but could not promise anything.
FIFA sets the rules
Switching nationalities in soccer is nothing new. Some of the sport’s biggest stars represented multiple countries, including Ferenc Puskas, who was the leader of Hungary’s “mighty Magyars” in the 1950s but also played for Spain at the 1962 World Cup.
The Spain squad also includes Puskas’ Real Madrid teammate Alfredo Di Stéfano, who started his international career in his native Argentina.
In modern soccer, FIFA intervened in 2004 due to concerns that Brazilian players were being easily naturalized with passports by other countries, including Qatar.
A “definite link” to the country is claimed, which could include two years of residence or having grandparents born in the country.
Then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter later aimed to “stop this travesty”, warning that the 32-team World Cup would have “16 teams full of Brazilian players”.
The mandatory stay for players aged 18 and over was increased to five years in 2008, but a proposal by the United Arab Emirates to shorten it to three years was rejected at the 2011 FIFA General Assembly.
Dual or multi-national players are ‘cap-tied’ by FIFA to teams that play in senior matches. Those who have only played in friendlies or at youth level can apply to switch.
FIFA Relaxation of regulations in 2020 This is to allow for further changes in eligibility, but players will be locked in to their country if they are competing in the World Cup or continental championship finals.
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AP writer Akram Obachir in Casablanca, Morocco, contributed to this report.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
