The World Cup is a melting pot of nationalities, with many players representing countries other than their birth country. Folarin Balogun, who scored twice in the United States’ opening win over Paraguay, chose to play for the U.S. where he was born instead of England where he grew up or Nigeria where his parents came from.

Players with Multiple Nationalities

Decades of migration have led to a significant number of players having multiple nationalities. Yasin Ayari, who plays for Sweden, could have represented Tunisia, his father’s native country. Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old standout, switched national teams from France to Morocco just weeks before the tournament kicked off.

Nearly 100 players at this World Cup were born in France, but only 23 of them play for the French national team. The others, France-born players with family ties worldwide, make up significant parts of the squads of Algeria, Cape Verde, Congo, Ghana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Tunisia.

FIFA’s Eligibility Rules

FIFA’s eligibility rules allow players to switch national teams if they have a clear connection to the country, such as two years of residence or a grandparent born there. Players who have played for a country in a senior competitive game are “cap-tied” and cannot switch national teams.

The World Cup has seen many players switch national teams, including Ferenc Puskás, who represented Hungary and Spain, and Alfredo Di Stéfano, who played for Argentina and Spain.

Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.