13 naturalized players could not save the Asian team

While FIFA is trying to tighten naturalization regulations to protect the fairness of football, the UAE found a loophole that allowed them to bring up to 13 naturalized players into the 2026 World Cup qualifying round.

Caio Lucas, who opened the scoring for UAE against Iraq in the second leg, is of Brazilian origin.

Since 2008, FIFA has required players without any ancestry or bloodline to reside continuously in their new country for at least five years after turning 18. The aim is to prevent the kind of rapid naturalization that Qatar did at the 2015 Handball World Cup. But the 18-year-old rule has become a loophole that the UAE has exploited.

Instead of naturalizing older players, the UAE has turned to recruiting a series of well-trained young players, bringing them to the UAE National Championship to compete from the age of 19-20 since 2019. After 5 years of residence, they become UAE citizens and are eligible to wear the national team jersey.

That is why UAE used a multi-nationality squad, a rare example in Asian football. In the 1-1 draw with Iraq in the first leg of the play-off, coach Cosmin Olaroiu fielded 6 naturalized players in the starting lineup, the entire defense was born outside the UAE. In the second leg, this number increased to 10 players.

UAE's squad is made up entirely of naturalized players.

The list of naturalized citizens of the UAE ranges from Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Tunisia, Ivory Coast to Ghana. Brazil alone contributes 7 faces including Meloni, Pimenta, Luanzinho, Alemao, Caio Lucas, Caio Canedo and Bruno.

According to the AFC, the expansion of World Cup slots has been a catalyst for many countries to choose the path of naturalization to accelerate their competitiveness. The UAE is a typical example. Instead of building local players from the academy foundation, they chose to "buy time" by naturalizing young players who had been trained in Europe and South America.

However, this strategy has not brought the expected results. UAE was defeated 2-1 by Iraq in the second leg, officially losing the chance to advance to the intercontinental play-off round. The team that dreamed of returning to the World Cup after 36 years now has to see its naturalization plan put into question.

Meanwhile, Iraq - the team using only domestic players, is the name that is getting closer to a ticket to the 2026 World Cup.

Source: https://znews.vn/13-cau-thu-nhap-tich-khong-cuu-noi-doi-bong-chau-a-post1603997.html