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"5 Famous Footballers Who Did Not Represent Their Native Country"

Post on: March 7, 2019

It is a dream come true for every footballer worth his salt to represent his country of birth – that’s the allure of the Beautiful Game. However, some chose not to. Before you question their allegiances, hold your horses! There are many reasons one is encumbered with before he makes a choice. And in most cases, having justifiable reasons too.

Players holding dual citizenship have to decide on one jersey or the other – country of birth or the country which they have been naturalised, raised or which presented them with a livelihood.

Moreover, some feel that by representing illustrious countries, the chances of gaining a medal in the international arena is greater. The opposite may hold true for those who believe that a “lightweight” country may enhance their chances of breaking into the squad. To these group, just making it into the first team suffices. Varied reasons and motivations abound for each individual.

We bring you five household names who did not represent their country of birth but enthralled us with their prowess in their “adopted” countries:

1. Deco – One of the most illustrious Brazil-born wizard who proved to be a world class midfielder with Porto, Barcelona and Chelsea. He was born in Brazil but received Portuguese citizenship after completing five years of Portuguese residency. However, he was snubbed by Brazil, having attacking midfielders like Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Juninho at its disposal. Hence, he accepted a call-up by Portugal in 2003. And like a fairy-tale introduction, his debut match was against Brazil where he scored the winner – what a way to make a mark in the world stage!

2. Lukas Podolski was born in Poland but plied his trade in Germany. When he was a shining star at club level, the Polish media enquired if he should receive a call-up for the Polish national team. However, the manager said he had, “much better players in Poland.” Subsequently, he made forays into the German team and won the World Cup medal in 2014 – the greatest accolade for any footballer! He is regarded as one of the best German players of his generation. His explosive shots and techniques, waltzing past defenders is a great joy to watch.

3. John Barnes is a Liverpool legend who represented England. His scintillating performance is second to none. However, he never played for the country of his birth, Jamaica. His family relocated to England when he was 12 years old. He was named the PFA Players’ Player of The Year twice during his peak. Although he did not represent his native country, he became Jamaica’s (his country of birth) manager in 2008, guiding them to the top place in the 2008 Caribbean Championship.

4. Patrick Viera is another stalwart who made a great impact in the football fraternity. A household name in the 90s, he was the star of the French football which won the World Cup in 1998. At club level, he was outstanding with Arsenal, lifting three FA Cups and three league titles to his credit. He did not represent his native country though — he was born in Senegal and his family moved to France when he was eight.

5. Miroslav Klose is another superstar born in Poland but ended up representing Germany. But unlike Podolski, he was sought-after and offered a position by the Polish team. He turned it down nevertheless. He represented Germany and won the World Cup in 2014. He is known as one of the greatest German footballer chronicled in its annals. He is such a prolific goal-scorer — holding the top position in the history of the FIFA World Cup with 16 goals. In his debut World Cup in 2002, he scored 5 goals and he clinched the Golden Boot award at the 2006 World Cup. A true legend indeed.

These men have proven themselves with their distinguished footballing skills. For some it’s obvious but for others, we do not know their true motivation for not choosing their native country. But what we do know is that they gave their best in their chosen field, representing the country they loved. My parting shot — in the words of the great Mahatma Gandhi: “A man of character will make himself worthy of any position he is given.”

By Shaji Thomas Varughese
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