The uncertain future of Malaysia's illegally naturalized football players

This group of naturalized Malaysian players confronts an unclear future because of paperwork and age problems, with Malaysian clubs also struggling to assist their return.

The case of the Malaysia naturalized footballers experiencing difficulties with documentation and being banned from playing raises serious questions about their chances to rejoin the national team. Recently, renowned sports lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli clarified the complex situation of these players in an article published on BH Sukan.

According to the report, seven naturalized players including Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Jon Irazabal, Joao Figueiredo, and Imanol Machuca are still unable to represent the national team despite having Malaysian citizenship. The main reason is that they have not yet met FIFA’s residency duration requirements.

However, a major question is whether any Malaysian club has the capacity and willingness to “support” them during this challenging period. This is a significant challenge, especially since most of these players are aged 25 or older, with some like Rodrigo Holgado already over 30. After a one-year playing ban and an additional five-year residency requirement, their peak professional years may have passed.

Three players — Jon Irazabal, Joao Figueiredo, and Hector Hevel — have a slight advantage as they have been with Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) since the start of this season. For the others, finding a financially capable club in Malaysia to sign and maintain them long-term is considered very difficult.

Mr. Effendi Jagan Abdullah, CEO of Action Football Asia (M) Sdn Bhd with over 20 years of experience representing players, observed that few Malaysian clubs currently have the financial means to pay high salaries to this group. Additionally, their age reduces their attractiveness in the domestic transfer market.

Effendi stated: “It is unlikely any club will pay them high wages, especially since some players are already 30 years old. After the suspension period and the extra five-year residency, they could be close to 36, making them unsuitable for national team competition.”

The current situation of Malaysia’s naturalized players presents a difficult puzzle for the nation’s football, as legal and financial barriers hinder their return and contribution to the national team. Whether Liga M can revive this valuable “asset,” or if the players must abandon their dream of wearing the Harimau Malaya jersey, remains unanswered.

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