Determined to reclaim the AFF Cup title, Thailand naturalizes former Chelsea star

(Dan Tri) - Thai football has just received good news when Jude Soonsup-Bell, a striker of mixed Thai and English descent currently playing for Grimsby Town (England), has officially agreed to play for the Thai national team.

This information was personally confirmed by the President of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), Madam Pang. She affirmed that FAT had completed a lengthy process of contact and negotiations with Jude Soonsup-Bell since last year.

Jude Soonsup-Bell is close to successfully obtaining Thai citizenship (Photo: FAT).

Immediately after the striker born in 2004 agreed to play for the Thai national team, paperwork related to his citizenship and international playing eligibility was urgently initiated, in order to register him in time for the FIFA Days (national team training camps according to FIFA's schedule) in November 2025 against Singapore (friendly) and Sri Lanka (Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers).

Thailand's head coach Anthony Hudson was the one who directly suggested calling up Jude Soonsup-Bell. He believes the 21-year-old striker would be an important addition to the "War Elephants'" attack.

Jude Soonsup-Bell was born in 2004. His father is English and his mother is Thai. He began his career at Chelsea, signing a professional contract at the age of 17 and making his first-team debut against Brentford in the English League Cup.

In 2023, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur, playing for their U21 team, before a brief stint with Cordoba (Spain) and is currently a player for Grimsby Town in the English League Two (third tier). This season, he has made 8 appearances for Grimsby Town.

Before choosing to represent Thailand, Jude Soonsup-Bell was a member of England's youth teams from U15 to U19.

Jude Soonsup-Bell previously played for Chelsea (Photo: Getty).

The arrival of Jude Soonsup-Bell is seen as a significant step in Thailand's youth development plan, as the team aims to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup. Furthermore, the striker's arrival is part of Thailand's plan to reclaim the AFF Cup title. After winning two consecutive AFF Cups in 2020 and 2022, the "War Elephants" lost the championship to Vietnam in 2024.

Madame Pang expressed her expectations: “Jude is a promising young talent, with Thai blood running through his veins and a desire to contribute to his motherland. We will provide maximum support to help him integrate into the team as soon as possible.”

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/quyet-doi-lai-ngoi-vuong-aff-cup-thai-lan-nhap-tich-cuu-sao-chelsea-20251028141812064.htm