Just returned, the group of naturalized Malaysian stars immediately spoke out

Malaysian football has just received a significant boost as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) temporarily lifted the suspension on a group of naturalized players previously sanctioned by FIFA.

Among them, the two most notable names are Gabriel Palmero and Rodrigo Holgado, who quickly expressed their reactions following this landmark ruling.

According to the official statement from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), all seven players with mixed heritage in the Malaysian national team are now allowed to participate in all football-related activities until CAS issues its final decision. This means that the penalties previously imposed by FIFA are temporarily suspended.

Right after the announcement from FAM, Palmero and Holgado shared their feelings on social media. While Palmero chose a brief yet powerful statement: “We’re back” Holgado delivered a heartfelt message: “When you least expect it, the sun appears. No storm lasts forever.”

The CAS decision not only “unshackled” the playersbut also opened a chance to salvage the careers of many in this group. Previously, both Palmero and Holgado faced unemployment. Palmero’s contract with CD Tenerife (Spain) was terminated last November, while Holgado reportedly parted ways with America de Cali (Colombia) at the end of 2025. Being allowed to play again gives them the opportunity to find new clubs and make a comeback at the national team level.

As is known, last year FIFA concluded that Palmero, Holgado, along with Facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel violated Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, related to falsifying documents during registration. Each player was fined 2,000 CHF (around 70 million VND) and banned worldwide for 12 months, while FAM was fined up to 350,000 CHF (nearly 12 billion VND).

Moreover, FIFA annulled the results of three international matches for Malaysia, awarding 0-3 losses against Cape Verde, Singapore, and Palestine. These rulings caused Malaysia’s national team to lose their unbeaten record in 2025 and drop significantly in the FIFA rankings, severely damaging the country’s football reputation.

Nevertheless, the temporary CAS ruling has rekindled hope for Malaysian football. As the team is rebuilding and striving to regain its position in Southeast Asia, the return of these naturalized players will provide the head coach with more quality options.