In the world of international football, player eligibility often sparks intriguing debates. While some athletes proudly represent their homeland, others possess the unique opportunity to don the jersey of another nation. Here are 10 notable players who could have easily played for a different country:
- Lionel Messi: Messi could represent Italy due to his Italian ancestry, which makes him eligible to play for Argentina, Spain and Italy.
- Alisson Becker: The Brazilian goalkeeper could potentially represent Germany because of his dual eligibility, as he holds Brazilian and German ancestry.
- Lucas Paqueta: Paqueta could play for Portugal in addition to Brazil because of his Brazilian roots and eligibility for Portuguese citizenship.
- Lamine Yamal: Despite playing for Spain, Yamal has ties to Morocco, making him eligible to represent both nations due to his dual nationality.
- Kylian Mbappe: Mbappe could represent Cameroon as well as France due to his diverse heritage, which includes Cameroonian roots.
- Erling Haaland: Haaland could potentially represent England alongside Norway due to his eligibility for English citizenship through his father, who played for Manchester City.
- Alejandro Garnacho: Having represented Argentina, Garnacho has the opportunity to switch allegiance and play for Spain due to his eligibility for Spanish citizenship.
- Guus Till: Till could potentially play for Zambia as well as the Netherlands due to his eligibility for Zambian citizenship through his mother.
- Wilfried Zaha: Zaha could have chosen to play for England in addition to Ivory Coast because of his eligibility for English citizenship, having been raised in England.
- Declan Rice: Rice, currently playing for England, also has Irish heritage, providing him with the option to represent Ireland due to his eligibility for Irish citizenship through his grandparents.
