A Question on Footballers International Eligibility.

[NewCorkSeth]

I am a little confused at the moment about the Declan Rice affair. While speaking to a friend about it he informed me that if Rice has put a request to change loyalty to play for England, but never gets capped by England, he will be unavailable to play for Ireland again.

Something about the laws stating you can only switch allegiances once.

This also means that if Grealish were to never play for England he still also wouldn't be able to play for Ireland.

Does anyone knows the laws on this or can confirm whether it is true or false?

[Sanguine]

I am a little confused at the moment about the Declan Rice affair. While speaking to a friend about it he informed me that if Rice has put a request to change loyalty to play for England, but never gets capped by England, he will be unavailable to play for Ireland again.

Something about the laws stating you can only switch allegiances once.

This also means that if Grealish were to never play for England he still also wouldn't be able to play for Ireland.

Does anyone knows the laws on this or can confirm whether it is true or false?

https://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/ ... eutral.pdf

This is true. Or at least, FIFA's laws (page 71, section 8.1) say that a player may 'only once' apply to change nationalities if he or she satisfies all of the conditions. I don't know of and can't find any cases of a player trying to switch back, or switch again.

As to Rice and Grealish, it would depends how you 'acquire' your footballing nationality in the first place. Rice has played for the senior Irish side, I don't know whether Grealish's appearances for each under 21 teams counts as switching.

[Winston Biscuit]

**hijack**

we did a thread years back on creating someone who has the most nations to choose from. Can we do it again? we got to quite a number I seem to remember.

Them being born in Jersey gives them the choice of the 4 home nations. Where else can you be born which makes you eligible for more than 1 nation?

[NewCorkSeth]

I am a little confused at the moment about the Declan Rice affair. While speaking to a friend about it he informed me that if Rice has put a request to change loyalty to play for England, but never gets capped by England, he will be unavailable to play for Ireland again.

Something about the laws stating you can only switch allegiances once.

This also means that if Grealish were to never play for England he still also wouldn't be able to play for Ireland.

Does anyone knows the laws on this or can confirm whether it is true or false?

https://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/ ... eutral.pdf

This is true. Or at least, FIFA's laws (page 71, section 8.1) say that a player may 'only once' apply to change nationalities if he or she satisfies all of the conditions. I don't know of and can't find any cases of a player trying to switch back, or switch again.

As to Rice and Grealish, it would depends how you 'acquire' your footballing nationality in the first place. Rice has played for the senior Irish side, I don't know whether Grealish's appearances for each under 21 teams counts as switching.

Thanks for the link.

I thought that too but everyone seems adamant that Grealish cannot play for Ireland even if he wants to. I can't figure out why not.

[NewCorkSeth]

**hijack**

we did a thread years back on creating someone who has the most nations to choose from. Can we do it again? we got to quite a number I seem to remember.

Them being born in Jersey gives them the choice of the 4 home nations. Where else can you be born which makes you eligible for more than 1 nation?

Januzaj was eligible for 6 countries.

Bring born in Northern Ireland makes you eligible for both N.I. and the Republic of Ireland.

Oh and I think if you are born in Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten you are automatically eligible for the Netherlands.

[Winston Biscuit]

**hijack**

we did a thread years back on creating someone who has the most nations to choose from. Can we do it again? we got to quite a number I seem to remember.

Them being born in Jersey gives them the choice of the 4 home nations. Where else can you be born which makes you eligible for more than 1 nation?

Januzaj was eligible for 6 countries.

Januzaj popped into my mind as I was typing the above as I knew his was an odd one

So we have Adnan Januzaj being born in Jersey would qualify him to play for Albania, Kosovo, Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.

If I was him I would have played in an under 21 or friendly match for every one of them while deciding, for the lolz

[Sanguine]

I thought that too but everyone seems adamant that Grealish cannot play for Ireland even if he wants to. I can't figure out why not.

It would come down to whether or not he had to formally switch nationalities in order to represent England U21s, I think. If he has, then he has used up his 'one time'. Would be an interesting test case if he ever raised it though - at this stage I can't see him getting near the England squad.

my view is that nationality should be limited to country of birth and that of parent's birth. I think it's a silly that Rice qualifies for Ireland through his gramps.

[NewCorkSeth]

**hijack**

we did a thread years back on creating someone who has the most nations to choose from. Can we do it again? we got to quite a number I seem to remember.

Them being born in Jersey gives them the choice of the 4 home nations. Where else can you be born which makes you eligible for more than 1 nation?

Januzaj was eligible for 6 countries.

Januzaj popped into my mind as I was typing the above as I knew his was an odd one

So we have Adnan Januzaj being born in Jersey would qualify him to play for Albania, Kosovo, Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.

If I was him I would have played in an under 21 or friendly match for every one of them while deciding, for the lolz

And he is one of the few players who could have theoretically played in an international tournament for 2 different teams with the Kosovo thing.

[NewCorkSeth]

I thought that too but everyone seems adamant that Grealish cannot play for Ireland even if he wants to. I can't figure out why not.

It would come down to whether or not he had to formally switch nationalities in order to represent England U21s, I think. If he has, then he has used up his 'one time'. Would be an interesting test case if he ever raised it though - at this stage I can't see him getting near the England squad.

my view is that nationality should be limited to country of birth and that of parent's birth. I think it's a silly that Rice qualifies for Ireland through his gramps.

If you can get a passport through your grandparents you should be able to get a cap.

I can't either but I can see him playing for Ireland. I guess if he gets his Tottenham move he might get a Nathan Redmond cap..

Rice should certainly steer clear of England though (I'm biased) as they have loads of players in his position better or at least the same as him.

[Winston Biscuit]

I like that Morten Gamst Pedersen turned out for Sapmi (Lapland) as well as Norway

[Winston Biscuit]

I am also always surprised at how many active Barca players (and others) are allowed to turn out for the Catalan National team in friendlies.

[NewCorkSeth]

I am also always surprised at how many active Barca players (and others) are allowed to turn out for the Catalan National team in friendlies.

I'd love to see a full on Basque vs Catalonia football match.

[Winston Biscuit]

I am also always surprised at how many active Barca players (and others) are allowed to turn out for the Catalan National team in friendlies.

I'd love to see a full on Basque vs Catalonia football match.

They played each other in 2014 and 2015

[NewCorkSeth]

I am also always surprised at how many active Barca players (and others) are allowed to turn out for the Catalan National team in friendlies.

I'd love to see a full on Basque vs Catalonia football match.

They played each other in 2014 and 2015

I didn't see either.

[Winston Biscuit]

Basque Country are playing against Venezuela this coming weekend

[BR0B0T]

**hijack**

we did a thread years back on creating someone who has the most nations to choose from. Can we do it again? we got to quite a number I seem to remember.

Them being born in Jersey gives them the choice of the 4 home nations. Where else can you be born which makes you eligible for more than 1 nation?

Januzaj was eligible for 6 countries.

Januzaj popped into my mind as I was typing the above as I knew his was an odd one

So we have Adnan Januzaj being born in Jersey would qualify him to play for Albania, Kosovo, Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.

If I was him I would have played in an under 21 or friendly match for every one of them while deciding, for the lolz

On a similar lols front I do think NTs that have disputed territory issues should field one player from that Territory

Eng v Arg (Falkland Islander)
Eng v Spain (Gibraltar)
France v Suriname (Fr Guinana)
etc

[Sutekh]

I thought that too but everyone seems adamant that Grealish cannot play for Ireland even if he wants to. I can't figure out why not.

It would come down to whether or not he had to formally switch nationalities in order to represent England U21s, I think. If he has, then he has used up his 'one time'. Would be an interesting test case if he ever raised it though - at this stage I can't see him getting near the England squad.

my view is that nationality should be limited to country of birth and that of parent's birth. I think it's a silly that Rice qualifies for Ireland through his gramps.

This. Anything else is just plainly ridiculous. Only exceptions would be the crown colony type "countries" such as Isle of Man, Channel Islands etc. which - as they do now - should allow the player to elect to play for any country within the UK.

[Sutekh]

Basque Country are playing against Venezuela this coming weekend

Love to see them play Catalunia in Bilbao or Barcelona . Perhaps they could also organise a tournament with Gilbraltar….

[NewCorkSeth]

I thought that too but everyone seems adamant that Grealish cannot play for Ireland even if he wants to. I can't figure out why not.

It would come down to whether or not he had to formally switch nationalities in order to represent England U21s, I think. If he has, then he has used up his 'one time'. Would be an interesting test case if he ever raised it though - at this stage I can't see him getting near the England squad.

my view is that nationality should be limited to country of birth and that of parent's birth. I think it's a silly that Rice qualifies for Ireland through his gramps.

This. Anything else is just plainly ridiculous. Only exceptions would be the crown colony type "countries" such as Isle of Man, Channel Islands etc. which - as they do now - should allow the player to elect to play for any country within the UK.

That's not the law though is it? If they have a Welsh mother and a German father they have to play for Wales.

[Winston Biscuit]

if your parents were born in a different country to you then you should have all countries you qualify for put on bits of paper and they have to pick one and that is that

'sorry Adnan, I know you qualify for Belgium but you are forever going to be playing for..........Albania!'