[Tom Kazanski]

What guidelines do they use when qualifying someone as eligible to play for a certain national team? I.E. Podolski playing for Germany and being born in Poland.

[takeahnase]

Citizenship of the country and not having played for the national team of any other country . Podolski's parents emigrated to Germany when he was two.

[Tom Kazanski]

Thanks. /thread.

[JordanLUFC]

Also, if your mother/father or even grandparents are of a certain nationality, that qualifies you to play for that country, even if you were born elsewhere

[ValeTudoShogun]

Originally Posted by JordanLUFC

Also, if your mother/father or even grandparents are of a certain nationality, that qualifies you to play for that country, even if you were born elsewhere

Yep e.g. Owen Harhreaves, born and raised in canada yet his Dad or grandad in from england and he was capped threw qualifying.
And also, Mauro Comaronesi from the italian squad, is actually born and raised in Argentina, yet his dad is from italy.

[takeahnase]

I don't see how this relevant, you still need the citizenship of the country you want to play for.

[Kyryllo]

Originally Posted by takeahnase

I don't see how this relevant, you still need the citizenship of the country you want to play for.

Yep, the passport is what matters. If you have the citizenship of the country you are eligible to play, unless you played for an other, how you acquired the citizenship is totally unimportant, be it by birth, through predecessors, through application for naturalization or marriage. This things lie in the hands of the countries' government. Although the governments are often more than willing to hand out citizenships really quickly for prospects.

[EsercitoBlu]

In my opinion this rule is total bollocks! Klose and Podolski are Polish.Deco is Brazilian and Hargreaves is Canadian etc.

Where you were born is the country you represent! Now is the case where players are getting nationalised after a few years like that (ahem) Native Of Croatia Eduardo Da Silva!

[Foots]

Originally Posted by EsercitoBlu

In my opinion this rule is total bollocks! Klose and Podolski are Polish.Deco is Brazilian and Hargreaves is Canadian etc.

Where you were born is the country you represent! Now is the case where players are getting nationalised after a few years like that (ahem) Native Of Croatia Eduardo Da Silva!

Don't forget Alex (Brazilian origin) playing for Japan.

[Toujourpret]

Originally Posted by EsercitoBlu

In my opinion this rule is total bollocks! Klose and Podolski are Polish.Deco is Brazilian and Hargreaves is Canadian etc.

Where you were born is the country you represent! Now is the case where players are getting nationalised after a few years like that (ahem) Native Of Croatia Eduardo Da Silva!

I think Olisidaebi (sp?) for Poland also counts