What do you guys think of this? I think it's kind of bullshit. Brazil is pissed that Diego Costa is playing for Spain and not them. No way does Spain have a better shot at winning the WC then Brazil does at home. I mean the whole Gio Rossi thing pisses me off but I get why he did it. US has 0 chance of winning a WC. But players who are like a 1/8th from a country are getting called up to US, Venezuela and other teams. Technically everyone in South America is from Portugal or Spain. So does that mean they can use our continent to get players like France calling dibs on all of fing Africa !!! I saw some people bitching about teams stealing their NT players but I just see it happen a lot with Brazilian and Argie players hence why I don't really like them. They seem they sell out to play for a team because they aren't good enough for their own team.I remember that Mexico had like 3-4 Argies on the team and when the national anthem started playing they just put there heads down. It's like you can't get ringers on your NT. Or this bs my great great grand ma was Italian. Or France wanting Higuian when he only lived there 2 weeks of his life This type of player choice isn't the problem it's guys who go to europe at 20 and in 2-4 years get called up by some Euro team NT. You sell out your home country that FING Quickly !!! US called up some Colombian kid who hadn't even turned 17 yet !!! He had like pro games at NY and been in the US for 5 years and they FING CALL HIM !!!! That is insane !!
I'm against players that nationalized to play for a NT, but I'm not against players who are raised and born in a different country. However there are some exceptions, my self born and raised in the USA, with Colombian parents(well half), but I'm more Colombian culturally, minus the terrible grammer in my spanish. I'm more proud of Colombia than the USA, however I still cheer the USA on for obvious reasons. I see two types of nationalized players, the merceneries that are looking for glory or more pay, and the other is players that are actually proud of that country. Players that are mercenries: would be Marcos Cenna - (Brazilian guys who decided to play for Spain because Spain was weak at the CDM position at the time.) Cristian Giminez - (This guy is straight up Argentine and plays for Mexico) Pepe - Brazilian born in Brazil but plays for Portgual (wasn't good enough for Brazil until after a year with Portugal) Deco - same as the top Makelele - Dude is Senegalese (played for france because all people born in french territories has automatic French Citizenship, could of chose played for Senegal. Cacau - didn't cut for Brazil NT, so he played for Germany Owen Hargreaves - (kid is straight up Canadian to the ass, decided to play for England because Canada sucks.) The other players that play for their country because of love: Guiseppe Rossi - I feel rossi heart always belong to italy, despite of him being a New Jersey Guido. Solomon Kanoute - dude is born in France, could of played for france, but decided to play for Mali instead. Gio Dos Santos - I think the kid acutally loves mexico, his brother maybe arguable, but despite his parents being Brazilian, Gio love for mexico is indefinitely. Kevin Prince Boateng - despite his twin brother playing for Germany, Kevin prince is also german born but decided to play for Ghana instead. Once again Prince is straight up German and from the hood of Berlin to add. Honorable Mentions - Lucas Barrios, Jermaine Jones, Edgar Castillo (this kid case was a mess), Julian De Guzman, Edgar Davids (yes the dutch legend, is actually from Suriname!!)
Calm, Crzd. Calm. I assume you're talking about Agudelo here? While his call-up at such a young age was among the clearer examples of international poaching that goes on these days I don't think there was anything insane about it. Certainly not on Agudelo's part. The kid moved to NJ when he was 7. His whole career began and continues to be in the USA. I doubt he ever played an organized match in Colombia before some random trial he had with Millos. USA made him the soccer player he is today. Probably made him the person he is today, too. And to me it comes down to those two conditions. Birthplace seems a little too arbitrary to be the be all end all. Things have gotten too global for that. Diego Costa and similar mercenaries, on the other hand, are damaging to the spirit that international play aims to create. Especially since the dude already played for Brazil a few months ago...
i dont know why you favour kanoute and dos santos cases? because they opt for the worst option.....i dont see a lot of diference, especially in kanoute cases..........you say that he love the country that he is playing in, when he borned in another.... you miss nery castillo---- a man that didnt know the mexico anthem zinha guille franco seedorf is also from suriname.... i hate costa....and all venezuelan cases that are playing because a proffesional opportunity.... omar perez a year ago, was asked for Colombian National team.... copete warned pekerman that he will play for venezuela if he dont get a call....nowadays he is sub in velez
I left out a lot of players I didn't feel like mentioning them. As far as kanoute, I understood that France wanted to call him up, but chose to play for Mali. He was born and raised in Paris. But despite of that he preferred to play for Mali. I could bring up Nicolas Anelka too
I think it is a touchy subject and should be handled on a case by case basis. I have no overall problem with it as long as FIFA standards are met for the most part and the players don't blatantly act like mercenaries. Gearing this subject toward a Colombian flavor... ..when was the last time Colombia had a nationalized player play on the National team? It seems like it almost never happens. I know my dad mentions some Argentines in the 50s played for the Sele. I find it to be amazing and very positive overall when many other teams in the region seem to poach players we seem to just play home grown talent.
Thought provoking post! I think the Germans have done a good job keeping dual nationality kids to play for them that could have had a big impact on euro football - klose and podolski (could play for poland) and ozil, khadera (could play for turkey).
In most of the German cases those players have lived in Germany almost all their lives or have played in the academies in Germany since they were youngsters. So I can see there being little controversies as to who the players chose.
Sure - living in the states where weve lost Subotic and Rossi in recent years, yield is important! Watching Chelsea - WBA on nbc, reminds me, i think Wba's keeper Boaz Myhill has Colombian blood too somewhere on the line. He came up the villa youth system when jpa was there and i remember their website doing a story on it...
I don't have a problem with it as long as the rules are met, the problem is that the rules are a joke. Januzzaj can be claimed by like 5 countries at the moment, that is insane. To me, a player should be able to choose only between his country of origin and the country he has nationalized in. Being eligible for countries because of parents and grandparents is a bit much for e since pretty much many countries could make a claim. I also don't like that a player can be brought up and developed in a youth system by one country and then be able to switch. If I am not mistaken, a player can even play youth games representing one country and then switch on the senior team. I also don't like the Costa situation where the dude had played friendlies and now will be part of another team. In my opinion, if a guy ever wore the jersey of a country's national team( whether youth friendly, or official), he should not be able to switch. I don't mind a player choosing one side over another because he feels more culturally connected or more loyal towards said country, but I hate that players do what Costa is doing which is pretty much choosing a side because they find it to be more beneficial to their careers. In regards to the Germany situation, they have a lot of international flavor in their team but many of those players were born and/or developed in Germany. I know some Turks hate that Ozil playes there, but the dude is a 3rd generation German. I don't understand the beef.
Hmm. This would clear up some things but I could see some Big teams calling up players just to make sure the smaller countries have no chance at calling that player up. Too many head games can be played by Federations and the players would not benefit at all and lose their chance at a World Cup due to politics.
A player doesn't have to accept the call up. For example, if Costa had no intention of playing for Brazil, he could have turned it down and made public his interest of playing for Spain. Again, while I agree that many NT would start calling 18 year olds for friendlies to lock them up, but these guys don't have to accept. Kind of like Balanta ferociously shot down the idea of playing for Argentina
I don't like giving the Federations that much power. If a kid is really torn between two nations they love (or have lived in) and got called up by the more prestigious team in a meaningless friendly, plays the last minute of the match and never get's called up again it would kind of be a farce in my mind for him to have no chance at a World Cup.
Well that is a good point, but I also don't like players pulling the stunt that Costa just pulled. Makes the whole system seem like a joke. Again, if the kid makes that mistake it's on him. Argentina is more prestigious than Colombia, but Balanta still made it clear he had no interest playing there
I think the common middle ground is official games like Qualifiers, Copa Americas Euros, etc. Maybe a certain amount of friendly minutes/ match appearances could = one official match but that could get too convoluted and complicated.
He is from New Jersey. Such a shame he didn't choose the red white and blue. Him and Altidore would be a great partnership.
All the Italian strikers suck but are almost a lock to finish top 4 at every World Cup. Everyone would do the same. Growing up all my cousins dreamed of Italy or Colombia. None dreamed of playing for the US. Soccer just isn't here yet like that. It has some fans but come on if you had the choice you'd pick US over playing with Pirlo, Buffon?
I just think his impact would have been so much bigger here. Think the same with Ozil and Turkey - players that could have changed the fate of the team. The Italians can take or leave Giuseppe, but he would be a hero for the U.S.
I don't think so man. Giuseppe is Italys best striker. You can say Mario but Giuseppe is way more consistent and not such a hot head. Injuries hurt him but he is back and kicking ass now. Would you pick US or Colombia if both wanted you. Would you go with your heart, who needs you more or where you'll play more.